Chronicles of Aphrodite Potter Book 1
by Padfootette
Summary: Two days after (femHarry) Aphrodite Potter arrives at Grimmauld Place in the summer before her fifth year. The Order of the Phoenix is sent seven books about her years at Hogwarts to change the outcome of the war. Slight Dumbledore, Snape, Molly & Ginny bashing. Jealous Ron, child abuse by Dursleys. Dating Oliver Wood. Parents from the past read the books. Going to be rewritten.
1. Prologue

**A/N: None of the characters or places belongs to me they all belong to Jo. Rowling and Warner Bros. The only character that belongs to me is Aphrodite. In this story Lily, James, Alice and Frank come from before they died/tortured to read the books. Sirius and Remus are married. Tonks is going out with Kingsley and T.K.S is their son Teddy.**

* * *

**Prologue.**

Outside Grimmauld Place it was a warm summer's day with a light breeze which would leave everyone feeling calm and collected. Inside number 12 Grimmauld Place on the second floor, where all the teenagers were gathered the atmosphere reflected the atmosphere outside as it was two days after Aphrodite Potter's trial at the Ministry and she was cleared of all charges and the teenagers were laughing and joking.

But down stairs in the dinning/meeting room the atmosphere was not light and breezy. In fact it was tense as specific members of the Order were waiting for Dumbledore to start the meeting.

"Where the hell is Dumbledore he told us to be here for eleven and he is not even here and its coming up for half past!" Sirius shouted in frustration.

"Dumbledore is very busy man, and unlike u mutt he has a lot of things to do with his time." Snap sneered. Sirius went to argue back but Remus put his hand on Sirius' arm and shook his head, Sirius closed his mouth and sat back down.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for another five minutes until Dumbledore arrived.

"Sorry I'm late everyone I got sent these seven books from the future about Miss Potter and I was checking them along with the letter for any Dark Magic. Which I found none so it is safe for me to read the letter to you."

"Wait a minute Albus," Snape interrupted. "You meant to tell me that you called this meeting just to tell us you received books about the Potter brat?"

"Now Severus, there is no need for that." Dumbledore said, eyeing Sirius who looked ready to hex Snape into the next century.

"Severus sit down!" Dumbledore ordered as Snape stood up to draw his wand on Sirius as he noticed Sirius was doing the same.

"We all have to be here to read these books, let me read you the letter so all understand properly why I have not called the whole Order and only a select few." Dumbledore then started to read the letter:

_Dear Order of the Phoenix,_

_You do not know us but we are from the future and we send you these seven books that are about Aphrodite's years at Hogwarts to change the outcome of the war. Even though the war was won, it came at a terrible price, the price was that too many lives were lost; lives lost that needn't have been as we were not prepared enough and the war came too quickly. To put it into perspective, the war started a little over a year from now, but Voldemort came out into the open if the timing is right, at the end of Aphrodite's fifth year. _

_We would also like to change the outcome of the first war by sending four people from 30th September 1981, as what happened to them was unnecessary and we hope that by sending them to read they can not only learn more about their children they never got to see grow up, but they also change the past so that they can see their children grow up this time. By sending these books we have created a new time line so it will not mess with the current time and by opening the first book, you will start the new time line as time will freeze outside of Grimmauld Place so there will be no need to worry about work or school._

_If you have not already guessed, we will be sending Lily & James Potter and Frank and Alice Longbottom from September 1981 to read the books along with from your time Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, Percy Weasley and Neville Longbottom. The adults will appear in the room you are currently in while Draco and Neville will appear upstairs with the rest of the teenagers, but they will not appear until the end of this letter._

_You will need to read these books in order starting with _**_Aphrodite Potter and the Philosophers Stone _**_and ending with _**_Aphrodite Potter and the Deathly Hallows _**_with _**_ALL _**_of the teenagers, otherwise the first book will not open._

_Good luck_

_T.K.S_

_P.s. you will not need to check them. We are not death eaters, and nor will they be as we want to stop all the pain that Voldemort and the Death Eaters caused and we have explained everything that has happened and the Potters and the Longbottoms know what has happened to them so you do not need to explain anything to them._

Once Dumbledore had finished reading the letter and placed it on the table there was a flash of light and six people appeared in the room, two of them was from the present and four from the past. The people in the room instantly recognised everybody that had appeared and when Percy saw his family that was in the room he immediately became sour faced and glared at the room, while Narcissa was looking around the room nervously but she got an encouraging smile from her older sister Andromeda, her cousin Sirius and his husband Remus.

When the people in the room got over the shook of seeing Lily, James, Frank and Alice alive and healthy, Sirius and Remus got up to greet their old friends, but then they noticed how angry all four of them looked, but none as angry as James and Lily.

"Is it true?" James ground out his every syllable trembling with suppressed rage. "Is it true that Peter, the boy we looked after in school, the boy we took under our wing, betrayed us to Voldemort and left our daughter an orphan at the age of TWO. He then went on to kidnap her last year. RIGHT UNDER YOUR BLOODY NOSE DUMBLEDORE AND HE WATCHED AND HELP BRING VOLDEMORT BACK!" James shouted glaring at the old headmaster.

"My boy..." Dumbledore started but was cut off by Lily.

"Don't give us that crap Dumbledore!" Lily glared at the headmaster who failed to suppress a flinch at the ferocity of her glare. "HOW COULD YOU LET OUR BABY GIRL GET KIDNAPPED BY DEATH EATERS, THAT NEVER HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE AT SCHOOL AND SUDDENLY MY DAUGHTER GOES TO HOGWARTS AND SHE GETS KIDNAPPED! TELL ME DUMBLEDORE WHAT ARE WE MISSING! GO ON!"

"WHERE IS THAT BLOODY TRAITOR? I'LL KILL HIM FOR WHAT HE'S DONE TO MY BABY GIRL!" James roared. But neither he nor Lily could say anymore as Remus had just put a silencing charm on both of them.

"James, Lily we know your angry we all are for what Pettigrew has done, but the whole reason you are here is to read about Aphrodite's years at Hogwarts so you, Lily, Frank and Alice and get to know Aphrodite and Neville and to hopefully change what happened to all of you so that they both grow up with their parents not to go after Pettigrew." Remus said in his stern voice while rubbing his ears, when he saw James and Lily look a little calmer and nod he took the silencing charm off of them.

Sirius and Remus than engulfed their four friends in a bone crushing hug, while James and Lily apologised for hurting Remus' ears. Once they finished their group hug Dumbledore took charge, "Right Mr Wood, could you please go and fetch everyone that is upstairs and tell them to meet us in the living room." Oliver nodded and left the room to fetch his girlfriend and her friends.

***Upstairs in the twins bedroom***

As Oliver got to towards the door he could hear Aphrodite, Hermione, Fred, George, Neville and Draco laughing. He smiled to himself as it's been a long time since Aph was this carefree he thought as he knocked on the door and entered.

When he entered, he saw Aphrodite in his Puddlemere United's shirt and in her black skinny jeans and black ballet shoes with her hair held back into a long black (with red tints in it) braid down her back, propped up against Fred's headboard wiping the tears from her eyes and with her dog's head PadMoon or Paddy resting in her lap. When she looked up and saw Oliver she gave him her most beautiful smile that always made his heart swoon, he smiled back and she moved Paddy's head and leapt up from the bed right into his arms and gave him a short but very sweet and loving kiss on the lips that made Fred and George to start wolf whistling followed by Draco and Neville.

When they parted Oliver looked around the room and saw Ron and Ginny glowering at him from the corner of the room, but he ignored them and turned to the others.

"Dumbledore wants all of you in the living room now he got sent some books from the future and I'm sorry love, they're about your seven years at Hogwarts and they have also brought your parents and Neville's parents from the year 1981 in September of that year to be precise."

Oliver looked down at his little, but beautiful girlfriend, as he felt her body start to shake with suppressed sobs and held her tight rubbing soothing circles on her back and whispering words of comfort in her ear. After a few minutes Aphrodite pulled back and Oliver wiped the tears off of her face and gave her quick kiss on the lips. He then looked over at Neville and silently asked him if he was okay, once he got a nod from the boy he suggested that they all go down to the living room now.

***In the living room***

Once they all arrived in the living room James, Lily, Frank and Alice jumped up and pulled their respective children into a bone crushing hug while apologising for not being there. Neville and Aphrodite then told them it was not their fault and that they didn't blame them one bit they pulled back from the hug and Oliver put his arm around Aphrodite.

It was then that James saw the Puddlemere untied shirt and started cheering and everyone was looking at him strangely. "See I told you. I told you Sirius. I told you she would like the same team as me you owe me five galleons pay up." James cheered, stopping in front of his old friend with his hand outstretched, once Sirius had grudgingly handed over the five galleons James than gave them to Aphrodite, which was then that he saw Oliver's arm around his daughter's waist and the grin was immediately replaced by a frown.

"And what do you think you're doing with arm around my baby girl's waist hmm?" James said glaring at Oliver.

Before Oliver could answer Sirius interrupted, "Don't worry James, Remus and I have spoken to him and told him what will happen if he ever hurts our little girl." James turned to look at his old friend and smiled that at least they are there for her when he and Lily couldn't be; he then turned back to Oliver. "That's alright then, but if you ever hurt my precious baby girl you will also have me to deal with understand."

Oliver nodded, "Yes sir." James looked at him for a little while longer making Oliver squirm were he stood, but then James nodded and held out his hand to Oliver and he gladly took it and shook his hand with a small smile on his face and was then introduced to Lily who gave him a hug and gave her daughter another hug, which is when she noticed the little Grimm standing protectively next to her daughter.

"Who is this little thing?" She said pointing at the dog and everyone's eyes were immediately drawn to it. Aphrodite looked down at her four year old dog and stopped down to pick him up, once she had stood back up with the Grimm nestled safely in her arms she turned to her mum and dad.

"This mum, dad is PadMoon or Paddy for short." She said and then gave her dog a kiss on the head which made him happily wag is tail and licks her face which in turn made her laugh. "Aww he so cute." Her mother cooed making James laugh. "Well I can see you got your mum's love for animals." James smiled happily at his daughter.

"Maybe we should start to read now." Dumbledore suggested. Everyone nodded and James and Lily sat on the sofa with Sirius and Remus which was next to the love seat that Oliver and Aphrodite sat on with Paddy resting his head on Aphrodite's lap, while Frank and Alice sat with Neville in between them. While everyone else went and sat on the other sofa and chairs that were spread out around the large room. Once everyone had sat down Dumbledore picked up the first book, "Does anyone mind if I read first?" When there were no negative replies Dumbledore started to read.

**Aphrodite Potter and the Philosophers Stone.**

**Chapter One The Girl Who Lived."**


	2. Chapter Two: The Girl Who Lived

Chapter Two, The Girl Who Lived:

**Aphrodite Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter One: The Girl Who Lived... **read Dumbledore. Aphrodite groaned loudly, while Oliver rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Snape thought, _'Doesn't Potter like her fame? Of course she does she's just like her father.' _

"Three guesses who..." started Fred.

"That is." finished George smiling at Aphrodite. Aphrodite looked across the room opposite her and threw the twins a mock glare.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive were proud to say that they were perfectly normal thank you very much.**

"Oh no, why are they being mentioned?" Lily groaned. James rubbed soothing circles on her back as he whispered in her ear that it was alright.

"You're quite welcome." said the Weasley twins trying to diffuse the tension as everybody chuckled at that. Once everybody had calmed down Dumbledore continued to read.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

Aphrodite laughed and everybody turned to look in her direction. "They need to re-think what they call strange and mysterious." Aphrodite explained.

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"Oh! What are drills?" Mr. Weasley asked excitedly.

"They are a tool that Muggles use which runs on electricity and is used to make holes in things such as roads." Aphrodite and Lily explained and then smiled at each other.

"Like mother like daughter." James laughed smiling proudly at his wife and daughter, who got a playful smack on the arm courtesy of Lily and Aphrodite, who stuck her tongue out at him and she had a grin on her face.

She then noticed the looks the Weasley twins, Draco and Neville were giving her, "What?" Aphrodite asked defiantly. "I did pay attention in my Muggle primary school." said Aphrodite.

Fred, George, Draco and Neville just sighed dramatically, "Just don't go over to the Dark Side Aph." They pleaded which made Aphrodite to humph and turn away which caused her father to burst out laughing.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any, neck although he did have a very large moustache.**

"Oh, he sounds charming!" 'Tonks said sarcastically.

**Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley-**

Aphrodite, Oliver, Fred and George started laughing as was Mr Weasley though quietly until his wife silenced him with a glare. Everyone gave Aphrodite and the three boys' confused looks. "W-We've s-s-seen D-Dudley." laughed Fred, "and h-he's by no means s-small!"

**- and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. **

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters."**

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE POTTERS?!" shouted Oliver, Sirius, Remus, Frank and Alice thinking of their friends and their daughter and James to shout for his wife and daughter.

"I can think of a few things wrong with the Potters." sneered Snape.

"SHUT IT SNIVELLUS!" scowled Oliver, Sirius, Remus James, Frank and Alice.

James looked over at Oliver proudly and could tell straight away that Oliver would be perfect for his daughter they just looked so natural together.

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but the hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband...**

"JAMES/ MY DAD WAS NOT A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING!" shouted Lily, Sirius, Remus, Frank, Alice and Aphrodite.

**Were as unDursleyish...**

"That's not even a word!" exclaimed Hermione and Professor McGonagall.

**As it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small child, too, but they had never seen her. This girl was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a freakish abnormal child like that.**

"How _dare _they say that about my baby girl!" James fumed.

"We don't want her mixing with a child like Dudley, just look at how he behaves." Lily said in a deadly calm voice.

"A CHILD LIKE WHAT EXACTLY?!" Sirius, Remus and Mrs. Weasley (Who was trying to still take over Lily's place as mother, even though she was sitting on the other side of the room) shouted.

"Professor Dumbledore please continue." Aphrodite pleaded.

**When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on a dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work-**

"Urrrggghhh! Why would he do that?!" yelled the Weasley twins and Tonks. A few people laughed which lighted the mood a bit.

**- and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"BRAT!" was resounded around the room.

**None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" screamed Mad-eye, making everybody jump.

**At half past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr Dursley didn't realise what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said **_**Privet Drive - **_**no**_** looking **_**at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. **

"Minnie can." yelled Sirius, Remus and James.

McGonagall glared at them, "DON'T call me that Misters Black-Lupin and Mr Potter."

**Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in his usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the get-ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!** **The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something ... yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on, and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills.**

**Mr Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. **_**He **_**didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl at night-time. Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.** **He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite. **

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy.**

"Why in Merlin's beard do we make him uneasy." exclaimed Sirius.

**This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"**

**"-yes, their daughter Aphrodite-"**

All the adults in the room including Aphrodite paled. Then Snape sneered "Potter, It's _always_ about Potter!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH SNIVELLUS!" Sirius, Remus, James shouted.

**Mr Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. **

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were loads of people called Potter who had a daughter called Aphrodite. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his niece **_**was **_**called Aphrodite. He'd never even seen the girl. It might have been Anna. Or Angelica.**

"Urrrggghhh!" Sirius moaned.

"We would never name our daughter any of those names." Lily and James said.

"He knows your name now, right Aph?" Hermione asked.

"Ummm... no." Aphrodite said hesitantly.

"What do you mean Aphrodite?" Remus asked.

Aphrodite ignored Remus' question and looked pleadingly at Dumbledore to continue reading.

**There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her- if **_**he'd **_**had a sister like that... but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

Dark looks were thrown at the book throughout the room, while James rubbed Lily's back soothingly.

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: "Don't by sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

Fred and George snickered and imitated an angry Uncle Vernon and a squeaky voiced old wizard. Everyone laughed at their antics.

**And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off. **

**Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

Fred and George gasped dramatically and said "Imagination makes the world go round!" Everyone snickered at this joke.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw- and it didn't improve his mood- was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**"Shoo!" said Mr Dursley loudly.**

"It's not going to work!" Sirius said in a sing song voice.

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

"It's Minnie! It's definitely Minnie!" Sirius shouted.

"No one disagreed with you Sirius." Remus said.

"I'm telling you it's Minnie!"

"Albus, please just read." Remus sighed exasperatedly.

**Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. **

**Mrs Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word ("shan't!").**

"They are proud of their child saying _THAT!" _Mrs Weasley said incredulously. "If ANY of my children said that to me THEY WOULD DEFINITELY LOSE CERTAIN PRIVILEGES!" All the Weasley children gulped at the threat in Mrs Weasley's words.

**Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living-room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The news reader allowed himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted,"**

"Dad was that you?" Tonks asked her father.

Ted just blushed bright red as everyone laughed at his face and Andromeda kissed him on the cheek.

**said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!"**

"Oh, I bet that was Deadulus Diggle he never had much sense." McGonagall said shaking her head.

**"Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early- it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters... **

**Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. **

**He cleared his throat nervously. "Er- Petunia, dear- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"**_**So**_**?" snapped Mrs Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...**_**her lot.**_**"**

"HER LOT! WHAT DO THEY MEAN HER LOT?!" the whole room roared making Aphrodite jump and flinch. Oliver noticed and held her tighter to him and kissed her on the cheek.

**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their daughter- she'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't she?"**

**'I suppose so,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly.**

**'What's her name again? Angelica, isn't it?'**

**'Aphrodite or Aph for short. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'**

"How is that a common name and it is not a nasty name either, she's named after the Goddess of Love and I think her name suites her perfectly." Oliver fumed. Aphrodite blushed red and her hair turned to fusia, but she leaned up and pecked Oliver on the lips.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something. **

**Was he imagining things?"**

"I thought he didn't approve of imagination." asked Neville.

**Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of-well, he didn't think he could bear it. **

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters **_**were **_**involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind...**

Dark looks were thrown at the book.

**He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect **_**them... **_**How very wrong he was.**

"I wish he wasn't." said Aphrodite said in sad voice.

"Why, Aph?" Draco asked.

"Because," Aphrodite said sadly with a lump in her throat, "then I wouldn't be living with them every summer."

**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into a uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all. A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. **

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots.**

"What's with the high-heeled buckled boots?" Tonks asked Dumbledore.

"I'm in trend with the fashion." Dumbledore said.

"Oh, yea! Real in trend!" Fred and George joked.

Everyone in the room laughed at this.

**His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.**

"Dumbledore!" Everyone apart from Snape cheered.

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. **

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

"I did realise but I didn't care." Dumbledore interrupted himself.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter.**

"Actually, it's called a Deluminator." Dumbledore chuckled.

**He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little **_**pop! **_**He clicked it again- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"I knew it!" Sirius yelled "I knew it was Minnie!"

"Sirius! Can you stop shouting no one disagreed with you!" Remus said. Aphrodite burst out laughing and Sirius and Remus smiled over at her.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. **

**"How did you know it was me?" She asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day." said Professor McGonagall.**

"Why were you sitting on a brick wall all day Professor?" Neville asked.

Professor McGonagall didn't answer him she only had a sad smile on her face.

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating alright," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no- even the Muggles have noticed something is going on. It was on **_**their **_**news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flock of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent... I'll bet that was Deadulus Diggle he never had much sense."**

Everybody laughed as they remembered her previous comment about said wizard, while McGonagall blushed.

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But there's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't so she went on: "A fine thing it would be if on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really **_**has **_**gone, Dumbledore?"**

"I wish." mumbled Aphrodite, but everyone still heard her and they all agreed with her apart from Percy who glared at her.

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?"**

**"A **_**what?**_**"**

**"A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the time for sherbet lemons.**

"Really Minerva, it is always the time for a sherbet lemon. Would anybody like one?" Dumbledore said, pulling out a bag from inside his cloak.

Once the bag had been passed around Dumbledore continued:

**"As I say even if You-Know-Who **_**has **_**gone-"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense for eleven years. I've been trying to get people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort**_**." Professor McGonagall flinched,**

As did most people in the room at the mention of Voldemort's name. Aphrodite and Oliver shook their heads exasperatedly.

**But Dumbledore who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall sounding half-exasperated and half admiring. "But you're different, everyone knows you're to only one You-Know- oh alright, **_**Voldemort**_**- was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me." said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too... well... **_**noble **_**to use them."**

**"It's lucky its dark, I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"EEEWW! TMI! PROFESSOR WE DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT!" Exclaimed all the teenagers.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing to the **_**rumours **_**that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

**"What they're **_**saying,**_**" she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are - are- that they're - **_**dead**_**."**

Aphrodite burst into tears and Olive wrapped her into a tight hug.

**Dumbledore bowed his head, Professor McGonagall gasped. "Lily and James...I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it... Oh Albus..."**

"Glad to know you care so much Minerva." James said sadly while holding Lily tight to him.

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all; they're saying he tried to kill the Potter's daughter Aphrodite. But - he couldn't, he couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Aphrodite Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke- and that's why he's gone."**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's- it's **_**true**_**?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding ... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Aphrodite survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

_"He knows." _Aphrodite whispered to Oliver,_ "HE _knows and he won't tell me." Oliver held her closer still that she was nearly on his lap, "I know babe, I know."

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch, it had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must of made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Aphrodite to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family she has left now."**

"No! Do not leave her there Dumbledore, they hate me and James so they will also hate Aph! She won't be loved there and I know we put in our wills that Aph is, under no circumstances, to go there." Lily said angrily to Dumbledore, while she and McGonagall glared at him.

**"You don't mean - you **_**can't **_**mean the people who live **_**here?**_**"cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore - you can't, I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets."**

"BRAT" was resounded around the room at the thought the Dudley screaming and kicking his mother just for sweets.

**"Aphrodite Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "Her aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to her when she's older; I've written them a letter."**

"A LETTER, DUMBLEDORE DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS IN A LETTER!" Everybody shouted incredulously.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand her! She'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Aphrodite Potter Day in the future-**

"There isn't one is there?" Aphrodite asked Sirius in a panicked voice.

"No, it isn't pup." Sirius said.

**there will be books written about Aphrodite - every child in our world will know her name!"**

"Unfortunately." mumbled Aphrodite.

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any girl's head. Famous before she can fully walk and talk!**

"Actually, you could talk, you could say, 'Mama and Dada' and I tried to teach you to say 'Sirius and Remus' but you could only say, 'Siri and Remy' and you could walk really well when someone was holding your hands." laughed Sirius.

**Famous for something she won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the girl getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Aphrodite underneath it.**

**"Hagrid's bringing her."**

**"You think it- **_**wise**_**- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"HEY!" yelled Sirius, "THAT'S MY BIKE! MY BIKE IS SO AWESOME!" Lily, Alice and Remus shook their heads at Sirius.

**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing compared to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so **_**wild, **_**long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.**

"HAGRID!" cheered all the teenagers.

**In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Aww." cooed all the women in the room, making Aphrodite blush.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last, and where did you get that marvellous motorbike?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got her, sir."**

**"No problems were there?"**

**"No, sir... house was almost destroyed, but I got her out alright, before the Muggles started swarmin' around."**

"I found you, and you was crying and screaming at the top of your lungs. You calmed down a bit when I picked you up. I cleaned the cut on your head and made it stop bleeding. But, when I gave you to Hagrid, you started crying again, so I told Hagrid to take my bike to get you there to soothe you," Sirius said sadly.

"I knew it would soothe you, because I took you on it when you were a baby without Lily and James knowing and you loved it! But somehow they found out, and Lily, Oh she was SO angry, it was scary!"

"Of course we were angry you took our baby girl onto a flying motorcycle." Lily and James reprimanded.

Remus started laughing, "You were scared of Lily for weeks afterwards, and you even went to James and asked him if _he _could calm Lily down."

"Humph." huffed Sirius.

"What?" asked Aphrodite.

"James was SO angry at me as well. He agreed with Lily and said I shouldn't have taken you on my motorbike. But I was holding you tight and you were laughing your head off, even when we landed and James took you off me, you were still laughing. They sort of forgave me when they saw how happy you were." laughed Sirius.

**"She fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Aww." cooed Oliver, making Aphrodite blush scarlet. She hid her face in her hands in embarrassment.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward, over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over her forehead, they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

**"Is that where-?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. 'She'll have that scar forever.'**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

"Yes, please could you get rid of it Professor. I hate it. I don't want it. And it just makes people stare at me and I HATE IT!" Aphrodite said, with a pained look on her face, and her voice rising to a shout.

Snape was confused. It seemed Aphrodite didn't like her scar.

_'Of course she does, she just wants everyone to feel sorry for her.' _thought Snape.

"I'm sorry Aphrodite, but there is nothing I can do." Dumbledore said, without looking at her.

Aphrodite just sighed sadly, and Oliver wrapped her in a comforting hug.

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee, which is the perfect map of the London Underground."**

"Ewwww!" shouted all the teenagers. "We could have done without knowing that as well Professor."

McGonagall just shook her head fondly at Dumbledore.

**"Well... give her here, Hagrid... we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Aphrodite in his arms and turned towards the Dursley's house. **

**"Could I... could I say goodbye to her, sir?" asked Hagrid. **

**He bent his great, shaggy head over Aphrodite and gave her what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog."**

"Hey!" exclaimed Sirius. "I take offence to that!" Making Aphrodite, Hermione and Draco burst out laughing, while everyone else looked confused and Remus shook his head at his husband.

**"Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall. 'You'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead- an' poor little Aphrodite off ter live with Muggles-"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself Hagrid, or we'll be found." Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Aphrodite gently on the doorstep,**

"YOU LEFT HER ON THE DOORSTEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WHEN IT WAS GOING TO RAIN! SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN ILL OR WORSE SOMEBODY, NAMELY DEATH EATERS COULD HAVE TAKEN HER! DUMBLEDORE HOW COULD YOU?!" everybody yelled jumping to their feet, well everyone except Snape, Ron and Ginny.

Oliver sat back down and pulled Aphrodite fully onto his lap and held her tight to his chest and kissed her hair, while Paddy moved up and laid next to them growling at Dumbledore.

**took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Aphrodite's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "I'd best get this bike back ter Sirius. G'night, Professor McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life, with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall." said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street, on the corner he stopped and took out the Silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps, so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange, and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. **

**"Good luck Aphrodite,"**

"I'll need it living there." mumbled Aphrodite, though everyone heard her which caused them to worry about what else has happened there.

**he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Aphrodite Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on, not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles,**

"That's no way to wake a child let alone a baby." exclaimed Mrs Weasley.

**nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley...**

Sirius and Remus growled and dark looks were thrown at the book.

**She couldn't know that at this very moment people were meeting in secret all over the country, were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "Aphrodite Potter - the girl who lived!"**

"That is the end of the chapter," said Dumbledore closing the book. "Who would like to read next?"

"I will." Professor McGonagall said as Dumbledore handed her the book without looking at her as she was still glaring at him.

"**Chapter Two, The Vanishing Glass." **read Professor McGonagall.


	3. Chapter Three: The Vanishing Glass

**A/N: I have changed some of the writing in this chapter and it will be in italics so please read all of the bold. Thank you. **

Chapter Three:

**"Chapter Two: The Vanishing Glass." **Read Professor McGonagall. Aphrodite paled as her professor read out the title name. Oliver noticed she had paled and whispered in her ear, "Are you alright love you've gone really pale?" Oliver asked concerned. She just nodded and snuggled into his chest.

James noticed his daughter turn really pale and then snuggle into Oliver's chest, he turned to Sirius and Remus and gestured in Aphrodite and Oliver's direction. They looked over at Aphrodite snuggled into Oliver's chest and frowned at pale complexion.

**"Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their niece on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all."**

"That's very boring!" exclaimed Fred and George, "Our house changes all the time!"

"It only changes because of you two." Bill said

**"The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living-room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different coloured bobble hats-"**

The room roared with laughter at the description of Dudley.

**"- But Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large, blond boy riding his first bicycle-"**

"First, and last time." Aphrodite laughed.

**"- On a roundabout at the fair, playing a computer game with his father-"**

"Oh, what's a compooter game?" asked Mr Weasley excitedly.

"It runs on electricity and is a type of Muggle technology, that you can play different types of games on." explained Aphrodite.

**"- being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign that another child lived in the house, at all."**

"Why is there no sign of you living there Aph?!" Sirius and Remus asked worriedly. Aphrodite shrugged and didn't answer. _'They'll find out why soon enough, and when they do they won't be happy and I might as well keep it to myself until then.' _

**"Yet Aphrodite Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. Her Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day.**

**'Up! Get up! Now!'**

**Aphrodite woke with a start and his Aunt rapped on the door again.**

**'Up!' she screeched. Aphrodite heard her walking towards the kitchen and the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker. She rolled onto her back wincing as she put pressure on to the new welts and bruises." **

"How did you get those Aph?" Her father asked. Without looking at anybody and burring deeper into Oliver's chest she mumbled, "I-I f-fell down the stairs the night before." James frowns getting more worried as he noticed his daughter paled even more and that she had lied to him, but didn't comment further for now.

**"And tried to remember the dream she had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorbike in it. She had a funny feeling she'd had the same dream before."**

"You remember that far back?" Sirius asked incredulously. She nodded, still buried in Oliver's chest but now clutching to his t-shirt. People were amazed at the fact that she could remember that far back.

"That wasn't a dream Cub, it was a memory." Remus said.

"I know." Aphrodite mumbled.

**"Her Aunt was back outside the door.**

**'Are you up yet?' she demanded."**

**"'Nearly,' said Aphrodite.**

**'Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you ****_dare _****let it burn, I want everything perfect for Duddy's... **(Fred and George sniggered at the nickname.) **Birthday.'"**

"SHE MADE YOU COOK! AT ELEVEN YEARS OLD!" Lily yelled. She nodded sadly.

"How old were you when she first started making you cook Pup?" Sirius and Remus asked Aph.

"About five years old." Aph mumbled. There were many murderous glares and angry muttering at this. Remus' eyes started to turn amber with his rage.

"She made you cook at five?!" Remus and Sirius yelled.

"I don't care... I like cooking."

**"Aphrodite groaned.**

**'What did you say?' her Aunt snapped through the door."**

**"'Nothing, nothing...'"**

**"Dudley's birthday, how could she have forgotten? Aphrodite got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. She found a pair under her bed, and after pulling a spider off of one of them-"**

Ron shuddered at the mention of the spider. McGonagall looked at the next line her eyes filling with tears as she took a deep breath and then continued.

**"- put them on. Aphrodite was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them-And that was where she slept."**

There was instant uproar at this sentence, Oliver clutched Aph tighter to him as he blinked tears out of his eyes and whispered he was sorry and then glared at Dumbledore.

"YOU! YOU TOLD ME SHE WAS SAFE! DOES THIS LOOK LIKE SHE WAS SAFE ALBUS?!" McGonagall screamed she then waved the book under his long crooked nose as everybody glared at Dumbledore. James and Lily got up and hugged their daughter with tears in their eyes.

**"When she was dressed she went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all of Dudley's birthday presents."**

"Spoilt brat!" resounded around the room.

**"It looked as though Dudley had got the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike."**

"Oh, what are a compooter, telefision, and racing bike?" asked Mr Weasley excitedly.

"Well a computer is a Muggle appliance that looks up anything you want on a thing called the internet, you can type messages to friends on it, play games, buy things and even print things off." Hermione explained.

"A television is another Muggle appliance which is sort of like a pensieve where you get to watch what other people are doing on different channels. A racing bike is Muggle mode of transport and can be used for exercise." Ted explained.

"How fascinating! How ingenious these Muggles are!" Mr Weasley cried. Mrs Weasley shook her head in exasperation at her husband thinking, _'Arthur and his obsession with Muggles.' _

**"Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Aphrodite, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise, unless of course it involved punching somebody."**

"That better not mean you!" growled Sirius and Remus.

**"Dudley's favourite punch bag was Aphrodite-"**

Dark looks were thrown at the book while all the men growled apart from Snape, Percy and Ron. Oliver pulled Aphrodite closer to his chest.

**"-but he couldn't often catch her. Aphrodite didn't look it but she was very fast. ****_And besides he only hit her when Aunt Petunia wasn't around as she didn't like boy's hitting girls but Uncle Vernon always allowed it when Petunia wasn't around and told Dudley to hit her harder_****."**

"She's unbelievably fast! I and Hermione have trouble catching up with her especially when she's in a rush to get somewhere." Draco said with Hermione nodding in agreement

**"Perhaps that had something to do with living in a dark cupboard-"**

Dark looks were thrown at the book at the mention about the cupboard.

**"-but Aphrodite had always been small and skinny for her age."**

"Sorry Aph, that's my fault I didn't start growing till the end of fifth year." James explained.

**"She looked even smaller and skinnier than she really was because all she had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than she was not to mention he was a boy and that's all she had to wear."**

Sirius and Remus shared a look that said Aphrodite is going to get spoilt for her birthday and Christmases even if she doesn't like it. But what they didn't know was that the same thought was going through all of Aph's friends and teachers minds at the same time.

"I'm definitely going to spoil you for your birthday and Christmas and Valentine's Day." Oliver declared fiercely. Aph looked up at her over-protective but loving and caring boyfriend and smiled at him, "You already do that anyway." Oliver kissed her fiercely on the lips which was a cause for catcalls from Fred and George and was interrupted by her father clearing his throat rather loudly. Oliver looked at Aph and gave her a loving, goofy grin and shrugged his shoulders.

"When we get out of here Pup/Cub we're going to get you new clothes and your own things." Sirius and Remus said.

"I already have new clothes though, I went shopping with Hermione in Hogsmeade and before third year I brought new clothes." Aph replied.

**"Aphrodite had a thin face, knobbly knees, long black hair wavy hair that went down to her waist-"**

"James!" Sirius and Remus yelled cheerfully.

**"-and bright-green eyes."**

"Lily!" Sirius and Remus yelled cheerfully.

**"She didn't wear any glasses which was a good thing as Dudley often liked to punch her on the nose."**

Sirius and Remus growled loudly at this. "I'll like to punch that fat bully on the nose." growled Sirius.

**"She also had a thin lightning bolt scar on her forehead which was covered by her fringe which she was thankful for as she didn't like it as when he fringe it parted and you could see it people used to stare at it when she was outside, and she didn't like being stared at. She had had it as long as she could remember and the first question she could ever remember asking her Aunt Petunia was how she had got it.** **'In the car crash when your parents died,' she had said. 'And don't ask questions.'**

"CAR CRASH! THEY TOLD YOU WE DIED IN A CAR CRASH!" Lily and James screamed.

**"Don't ask questions' that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys."**

"Is that why you don't ask for help in lessons Miss Potter? When you are clearly struggling." asked Professor McGonagall.

Aphrodite nodded her head against Oliver's chest. Sirius and Remus looked shocked.

"Pup, but how do you learn how to do something if you don't ask?" asked Sirius seriously (no pun intended).

"Well Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had forbidden it and I guess I just thought it was the same for everyone, because I've had to look after myself and **always **do everything myself, because Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon wouldn't help me. I even taught myself how to read and write they didn't even teach me how to swim they probably hoped I'd drown and when I don't know something I teach myself." Aphrodite said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"What! Those bastards I will definitely be seeing them when we get out of here." growled Sirius.

"Mr Black watch your language." shouted Professor McGonagall.

"Oh sweetheart." Lily said sadly getting up and hugging her daughter along with James.

"Miss Potter, if you ever need help in any lessons your teachers will not hesitate to help you that are what we are here for. To teach you and to help you understand." Professor McGonagall said sternly but kindly.

**"Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Aphrodite was turning over the bacon. 'What have I told you about having your hair down Girl! Put it up at once or there will be hell to pay!' he barked, by a way of a morning greeting. Aphrodite quickly took the hair band off of her wrist and tied her hair up into a messy bun."**

"You better not touch her you fat walrus!" James snarled, as Oliver clutched Aphrodite closer to him.

**"Uncle Vernon didn't like girls with their hair down and the fact that Aphrodite's hair reached her waist even though it was naturally wavy infuriated her uncle and about once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Aphrodite needed a haircut. Aphrodite must of had more haircuts than the rest of the girls in her class put together, but it made no difference, her hair simply grew that way all over the place when it was shoulder length which is what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia liked it but when it got longer it just stayed wavy and was a little easier to handle.**

**Aphrodite was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother."**

Ron's stomach grumbled. "Mum, when can we have lunch?" asked Ron.

Before Mrs Weasley could say anything she was interrupted by Arthur, "You can wait Ron. We have not long had breakfast."

**"Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not much neck, small watery blue eyes and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick fat head."**

"Oh, so a pig in a wig then." Oliver commented, which made Aphrodite to laugh and everyone to look at her curiously but she just waved for Professor McGonagall to continue.

**"Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel. Aphrodite often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig."**

Everyone burst out laughing. Oliver looked down through his tears of laughter and kissed Aphrodite on the cheek making her blush bright red.

"Oh dear," laughed Lily. "I see you have my wit and your father's sense of humour."

**"Aphrodite put the plates of eggs and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley meanwhile was counting his presents. His face fell. 'Thirty-Six. He said, looking up at his mother and father. 'That's ****_two _****less than last year.'"**

"What a horrible spoilt brat." The entire woman in the room cried.

**"'Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy.'**

**'All right, thirty-seven then,' said Dudley going red in the face. Aphrodite, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down her bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over ****_again ad he blamed it on her, again_****."**

"If I get my hands on those Dursleys they won't know what hit them." James snarled clenching and unclenching his fists.

**"Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly, 'And we'll buy you another ****_two _****presents while we're out today. How's that Popkin? ****_Two _****more presents. Is that all right?'"**

"That's not how you raise a child Petunia, you know this. We were never raised like that if mum and dad were here they would be going ballistic at how she is raising him." Lily shook her head at her sister's stupidity.

**"Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work."**

"It probably was." said Aphrodite quietly, making Oliver snort with laughter as he was the only one to hear her.

**"Finally he said, 'So I'll have thirty... thirty...'"**

"Merlin! He can't even count," cried Hermione. "How old is he Aph?"

"Well he is a few months older than me and this was his twelve birthday." Aph answered with a shrug.

Everyone in the room was disgusted that a twelve year old couldn't even count.

**"'Thirty-nine, Sweetums.' said Aunt Petunia.**

**'Oh.' Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. 'All right then.' **

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. 'Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. Atta boy, Dudley!' He ruffled Dudley's hair."**

"WHAT! They encouraged him. That's** NO **way to raise a child!" screeched Mrs Weasley.

"Molly, dear there is no need to screech you heard what Lily and Aph have said. So there is no need to shout about it, yes it's disgusting but we can't do anything about it." Mr Weasley said rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.

**"At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Aphrodite and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote-control aeroplane, sixteen new computer games and a video recorder."**

"What are those?" Mr Weasley asked excitedly.

"A cine-camera is a Muggle device that allows you to film what you are doing. A remote-control aeroplane is a Muggle toy, which you can make fly. A video recorder is another Muggle device that allows you to record what you want on the T.V." Hermione explained.

"Fascinating, the things these Muggles dream up is just fascinating." Mr Weasley replied.

**"He was ripping the paper off a gold wrist watch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone, looking both angry and worried. 'Bad news, Vernon,' she said. 'Mrs Figg's broke her leg. She can't take her.' She jerked her head in Aphrodite's direction."**

"She has a name and it's Aph so use It." growled Sirius and Remus.

**"Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Aphrodite's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger bars or the cinema."**

"What's the cinema?" asked all the Pureblood teenagers.

"The cinema is where teenagers usually meet their friends or take their girlfriends on a date and watch a new-released movie." Oliver explained. Then he noticed the looks he was getting and shrugged his shoulders as he answered, "What Aph explained what they are last year and I took her to the cinema for she arrived here."

**"Every year, Aphrodite was left behind with Mrs Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away."**

"Aphrodite, Mrs Figg works for the order and she's a Squib." explained Dumbledore.

"Well I know that now but I didn't know it then." Aph deadpanned.

**"Aphrodite hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs Figg made her look at photographs of all the cats she had ever owned.** **'Now what?' said Aunt Petunia looking furiously at Aphrodite as though she'd planned this."**

"Oh, yes it's my life's ambition to make you lives a living hell." Aphrodite snarled her hair turning the same colour red as her mothers and eyes blazing hazel.

"Aphrodite don't be so rude about your family." Mrs Weasley screeched.

Aphrodite turned to glare at Mrs Weasley and when she spoke her every word was trembling with rage just how her mother's and father's voices were when they first arrived.

"They are NOT my family and I would appreciate it if you didn't refer to them as such, that house isn't a home to me it never has been, it's just a place I have to return to every summer. Besides family is meant to love and care for each other not put them down and tell them they are nothing not even worth something thinking about, not something nasty they have on the bottom of their shoe. And family doesn't abuse the people in their family because they're different, because they're a _**freak**__!" _Aphrodite finished sadly with tears in her eyes and hair turning into a dark blue-grey colour which her friends know her hair turns when she is upset.

Oliver pulled her closer to him if that were possible and looked at her with love and sadness in his eyes, but when he spoke his voice was held with a strong confliction. "Aph you are not a freak or anything else those _people _have told you, they're lies you are a sweet, kind-hearted, caring and loving person I have ever met and you won't be living there anymore you can come and live with me in my apartment in London."

"I'm sorry Mr Wood, but Aphrodite has to return to her relative's house every summer until she is seventeen." Dumbledore interrupted.

"She will NOT be going back there Albus, she is coming to live with me whether you like it or not. I will not stand by and watch her get abused at the hands of those people anymore, you left her there for too long this summer and look what happened she is not safe there. Even though I took her out on dates during the summer and picked her up at that house it wasn't enough, anyway she turns seventeen next September but she is still not going back there." Oliver glared at his former headmaster and motioned for Professor McGonagall to continue.

**"Aphrodite knew she ought to feel sorry that Mrs Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when she reminded herself it would be a whole year before she had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws and Tufty again."**

"Aphrodite!" scolded Mrs Weasley, shocked that Aphrodite would think that.

"Sorry." Aphrodite mumbled quietly.

"Molly, you will stop trying to reprimand OUR daughter, she is not yours and as her parents WE, or Sirius or Remus will do that. Yes she shouldn't of thought that, but they always left her behind, she never went anywhere so she was excited and probably a bit desperate to be taken somewhere for a change that it took over her common sense, but I can tell that it has NEVER happened again just by looking at her and she was always more of a dog person." James said sternly glaring at the Weasley Matriarch.

**"'We could phone Marge.' Uncle Vernon suggested.**

"Wait, Aph isn't that the one you..." Draco and Neville asked trailing off at the end.

"Yep." Aph said popping the 'p'. "Third book." She said to the confused looks.

**"'Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the girl.'"**

"Yea and I hate her. The stupid, fat walrus, she deserved what she got." Aphrodite said venomously.

"Aph!" Remus said sternly.

"What? She did deserve what she got. Why couldn't the Ministry leave her the way she was then I wouldn't have to see or hear her again?" Aphrodite said angrily.

Everyone was shocked by what Aphrodite had just said as they have never seen this side to her before.

**"The Dursleys often spoke about Aphrodite like this, as though she wasn't there. Or rather, as though she was something very nasty that couldn't understand them like a slug."**

"NO WAY IS MY DAUGHTER A SLUG SHE'S TOO PRETTY AND TO SMART TO BE ONE!" James shouted, causing everyone to stare at him and Sirius, Frank, Alice and Lily to laugh.

**"'What about what's-her-name, your friend- Yvonne?'**

**'On holiday in Majorca.' snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**'You could just leave me here,' Aphrodite put in hopefully (she'd be able to watch what she wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).** **Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. 'And come back and find the house in ruins?' She snarled."**

"SHE WON'T BLOW UP THE HOUSE!" Oliver roared.

**"'I won't blow up the house.' said Aphrodite but they weren't listening. I suppose we could take her to the zoo,' said Aunt Petunia slowly, '... and leave her in the car...'**

**'That car's new she's not sitting in it alone...' Uncle Vernon argued. Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact he wasn't really crying, it had been years since he'd really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted."**

"Spoilt brat." All the women cried.

**"'Dinky Duddydums-'"**

Everyone (except Snape) began laughing at Dudley's nicknames.

**"'-don't cry Mummy won't let ****_her _****spoil your special day!' she cried flinging her arms around him.**

**'I...don't...want...her...t-t-to come!' Dudley yelled between huge pretended sobs. 'She always sp-spoils everything!' He shot Aphrodite a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms."**

"That child is absolutely horrid!" cried Narcissa.

**"Just then the doorbell rang, 'Good Lord they're here!' said Aunt Petunia frantically, and a moment later Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. As Piers walked in he saw Aphrodite and winked at her, she looked away trying to stop her breakfast from reappearing. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs, while Dudley hit them and always tried to steal a kiss from her."**

Oliver growled and clutched Aphrodite closer to him, Aphrodite laughed at her over-protective boyfriend but she wouldn't have it any other way she smiled to herself and rested her head on Oliver's broad chest.

**"Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once."**

"Of, course," muttered Neville darkly. "Can't have his best friend seeing him cry like a baby, now can he?"

**"Half an hour later, Aphrodite, who couldn't believe her luck was sitting in the back of the Dursley's car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in her life."**

"I've been to the zoo more times now, Oli took me in the summer, we spent the whole day there, and it was the best ever." Aphrodite smiled at the memory. Oliver chuckled and gave Aphrodite a chaste kiss on the lips, "Glad you liked it love." Oliver smiled, "And yes it was a really amazing day."

**"Her Aunt and Uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with her, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Aphrodite aside.**'**I'm warning you,' he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Aphrodite's, 'I'm warning you now, Girl. Any funny business, anything at all. And you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas and with a beating so bad you won't be able to walk for weeks.'"**

"He hasn't done that, has he Prongslet?" Sirius asked worriedly.

Aphrodite's silence was an answer enough.

Sirius sighed at that and would of got up and pulled her onto the couch with Remus, Lily and James but he noticed how tight of a hold Oliver had on her and smiled, glad she had someone who will treat her right and always protect her.

**"'I'm not going to do anything,' said Aphrodite. 'Honestly...' But Uncle Vernon didn't believe her. No one ever did. The problem was strange things often happened around Aphrodite and it was just no good telling the Dursleys she didn't make them happen."**

"That would be your Accidental Magic, Aph" Mr Weasley said kindly, Aph nodded and gave Mr Weasley a small smile.

**"Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Aphrodite coming back from the hairdresser's looking as though she hadn't been at all as her hair always grew back down to her waist, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut her hair so short, she was almost bald, except for her fringe which she left 'to hide that horrible scar'. Dudley had laughed himself silly at Aphrodite, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where she was already laughed at for her baggy boy's clothes."**

Sirius and Remus growled angrily at that.

**"Next morning, however, she had got up to find her hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off."**

**"She had been given a week in her cupboard for this, ****_with no food_****_and with a minor beating_****, even though she had tried to explain that she ****_couldn't _****explain how it had grown back so quickly. Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force her into a revolting old jumper of Dudley's (brown with orange bobbles)."**

"Ewwww!" cried Lily, Alice, Tonks and Hermione.

**"The harder she tried to pull it over her head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a glove puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Aphrodite, Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to her great relief, Aphrodite wasn't punished."**

"Thank Merlin!" cried everyone in the room.

**"On the other hand, she'd got into terrible trouble, for being found on the roof of the school kitchens."**

"WHAT!" cried everyone in the room.

"How did you do that Aph?" Fred and George asked sounding impressed. Aph just shrugged her shoulders; she still couldn't remember how she had ended up there. "Though I think I flew."

"You probably did Sweetheart, I did that but off of a swing." Lily smiled at her daughter. Aph smiled glad to have more in common with her mother.

**"Dudley's gang had been chasing her, as usual when, as much to Aphrodite's surprise as anyone else's, there she was sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Aphrodite's headmistress, telling them, Aphrodite had been climbing school buildings. But all she'd tried to do (as she shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of her cupboard) was jump behind the big bins outside the kitchen doors. Aphrodite supposed that the wind must have caught her in mid-jump."**

Fred and George laughed. "We need to teach you how to lie better, Aph."

"Give me a break I was seven." Aph huffed, which caused Oliver to tickle her and for her to burst out laughing. Once the pair had calmed down McGonagall continued reading.

**"But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day that wasn't school, her cupboard or Mrs Figg's cabbage-smelling living-room.** **While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia, he like to complain about things: people at work, Aphrodite, the Council, Aphrodite, the bank and Aphrodite were just a few of his favourite subjects. This morning it was motorbikes.**

**'...roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums,' he said, as a motorbike overtook them.**

**'I had a dream about a motorbike,' said Aphrodite, remembering suddenly. 'It was flying.'"**

Everybody in the room groaned loudly, and Aphrodite smiled sheepishly.

**"Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Aphrodite, his face like a gigantic beetroot with a moustache, 'MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!'"**

"Mine does." Sirius yelled happily.

**"Dudley and Piers sniggered. **'**I know they don't,' said Aphrodite. 'It was only a dream.' But she wished she hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated more than her asking questions, it was her talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon. They seemed to think she might get dangerous ideas."**

The people who knew Aphrodite well and knew what she got up to at Hogwarts groaned which left everyone who didn't know to groan.

"What are these carrtoons, then?" Fred and George asked with a mischievous glint in their eyes. Nobody answered them as they knew that glint all too well. The twins pouted when nobody answered their question.

**"It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys brought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice-creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Aphrodite what she wanted before they could hurry her away, they brought her a cheap lemon ice lolly. It wasn't bad either Aphrodite thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head and looking remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond."**

Everyone burst out laughing.

"The wit Aph. The wit is back." The twins shouted through their laughter.

"Aph, you do know that is an insult to gorillas everywhere don't you?" Neville asked very seriously. Aph sighed and hung her head, "I know Nev, I know but it did look like him and it was so hard not to resist thinking it." Aph said in a monotone voice, she then looked at Neville in the eye and they both burst into laughter with tears running down their faces, while their parents smiled happily at them.

**"Aphrodite had the best morning she'd had in a long time."**

"Not anymore, my secret dates with Oli this summer were a thousand times better than that day." Aph said happily.

"Thanks love; glad I made you so happy." Oliver smiled and kissed her lips when she turned to look at him, neither of them noticed that Ron, Ginny and Molly were glaring at them, but the rest of their friends did and they frowned at the three Weasley's behaviour towards Aph and Oliver.

**"She was careful to walk a little way a part from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunch time, wouldn't fall back on their favourite hobby of hitting her when Aunt Petunia wasn't looking."**

James, Sirius and Remus growled angrily at that.

**"They ate in the zoo restaurant and when Dudley had a tantrum because his Knickerbocker glory wasn't big enough, Uncle Vernon brought him another one and Aphrodite was ****_allowed _****to finish the first one. Aphrodite felt afterwards that she should have known it was all too good to last."**

"You jinxed yourself, mate." exclaimed Neville.

"I know, but I'm glad nothing bad happened on my dates with Oli." Aph replied.

"Me too love me too." Oliver agreed and hugged her tight.

**"After lunch they went into the Reptile House. It was cool and dark in here, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sort of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick man-crushing Pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a dustbin."**

"Do it, do it, do It." chanted the twins, making everyone laugh.

**"But at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact it was fast asleep."**

"Ohh." groaned the twins making everyone laugh again.

**"Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**'Make it move,' he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, ****_"Move!" Uncle Vernon called, but the snake didn't budge. This time Dudley banned hard on the glass and shouted at the snake to move, but the snake just snoozed on so Dudley went to bang on the glass again but Aphrodite stopped him, "He's asleep leave him along." She said annoyed at her cousin and uncle._**

**'This is boring.' Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Aphrodite moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. She wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself. No company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard for a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up. At least he got to visit the rest of the house ****_when she had to clean it that is._**

**"The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on level with Aphrodite's. **

**_It winked._**

**Aphrodite stared. Then she looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. She looked back at the snake and winked too."**

"Only you Aph." Hermione, Draco and Neville said shaking their heads fondly at their best friend snuggled into Oliver's chest.

**"The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, and then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Aphrodite a look that said quite plainly: ****_'I get that all the time.'_**

**'I know,' Aphrodite murmured through the glass, though she wasn't sure the snake could hear her. 'It must be really annoying.' The snake nodded vigorously."**

"You're a Parcelmouth?" James asked.

Aphrodite nodded her head waiting for the rejection she knew was about to come from the father and mother she just met and tried to hold back a sob, but the sob slipped past her tightly shut lips and Oliver pulled her further into him and rubbed soothing circles on her back and whispered that he didn't care that he still loved her more than life itself.

James and Lily leapt out of their seats as soon as they heard the sob escape her lips and crouched down in front of her and Oliver. "Aph, look at me please come on baby girl please look at me." Her father pleaded with her. Aph slowly turned her head so she could look them in the eye with tears still running down her cheeks.

"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you I was only asking because I'm not a Parcelmouth and nor is your mother, but it doesn't matter to us and I'm sure it doesn't matter to Sirius, Remus, Frank or Alice we all still love you and it doesn't change what we think of you. Okay?" James asked. Aph nodded and James opened his arms for her and she practically flew into her father's arms, her mother joined in the hug and they both held Aph tight to them. After a few minutes they pulled back and Sirius and Remus answered the question she was most desperate to hear, "We don't care Pup, what James said is true we love you with all our heart." Aph smiled gratefully at her Godfather and Uncle.

"Aph?" Alice questioned and when she got her Aph's attention she continued. "Even though we have just met you we can tell what a kind –hearted young woman you are in fact your just like Lily in that respect and that you're a good friend to our son and we would be foolish to think so lowly of you after that when clearly Neville does not, so thank you for being a good friend to our son." Alice smiled at the young woman back in Oliver's lap.

Everyone else apart from Ron and Ginny said word of agreement that this revelation didn't change anything and McGonagall carried on reading.

**'Where do you come from, anyway?' Aphrodite asked. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Aphrodite peered at it.**

**_Boa Constrictor, Brazil._**

**'Was it nice there?'**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Aphrodite read on: ****_This specimen was bred in the zoo. _****'Oh, I see...so you've never been to Brazil?'**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Aphrodite made both of them jump. 'DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!'**

**Dudley came waddling towards them as fast as he could."**

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Aph, that's an insult to penguins everywhere." Charlie said very seriously, which resulted in more laughter.

**"'Out of the way you.' He said, punching Aphrodite in the already sore and bruised ribs. Caught in surprise, Aphrodite fell hard on the concrete floor."**

Everyone who cared about her growled loudly at that.

**"What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened. One second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next they had leapt back with howls of horror."**

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"If you would let me read Ronald, we would find out." Snapped Hermione.

**"Aphrodite sat up and gasped, the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished."**

"Miss Potter, you must have had very powerful Accidental Magic, to make the glass disappear as that's a fifth year spell." Professor McGonagall said.

Aphrodite blushed and buried her head in Oliver's chest causing him to laugh.

**"The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor. People throughout the Reptile House screamed and started running for the exits. As the snake slid swiftly past her, Aphrodite could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, ****_'Brazil, here I come...Thanksss, Amiga.'_**

**The keeper of the Reptile House was in shock. 'But the glass,' he kept saying. 'Where did the glass go?' The zoo Director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea, while he apologised over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Aphrodite had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death." **

"They're such Drama Queens." Hermione interrupted herself.

**"But worst of all, for Aphrodite at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, 'Aphrodite was talking to it, weren't you, Aphrodite?'"**

There were groans all around the room.

"I'll kill him the bastard!" Oliver snarled holding Aphrodite tighter still as though he was trying to protect her from the past.

"Oli, I can't breathe." Aph gasped. Oliver loosened his hold on her but only slightly and pressed a kiss into her hair and whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling her ear and making her shiver, "Sorry love."

**"Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house ****_and Dudley was safely upstairs, before starting on Aphrodite. He was so angry he grabbed her by her hair and yanked her head back,"_**

"OI LET HER GO!" All the males roared angrily and palling slightly as they remembered what Vernon had said if anything happened.

**_"What happened?" He snarled giving her a little shake when she didn't answer straight away. 'I swear I don't know.' Aphrodite gasped trying to hold back tears she learned long ago that if you cried in the Dursley's house the beatings only got worse. _**

**_But apparently this was the wrong answer as her uncle growled angrily and was now hand his other hand gripping left arm so tightly she was starting to lose feeling in it. She tried again, 'One minute the glass was there and then it was gone it was like magic.' She squeaked as her uncle's face turned to a horrible puce colour._**

**_Her uncle then let go off her arm and opened the cupboard under the stairs and threw her in it, so that she landed painfully on her right arm. She then heard the door slam shut and the golden grills on the front of the door to open and her uncle growled, 'There is no such thing as magic and no meals for a week before they were shut and she was left in complete darkness. _**

"WHAT!" shouted everyone in the room.

"You were fed weren't you, Aph?" Narcissa asked worriedly, as she had grown quite fond of the girl who had given her son a second chance, but she didn't answer which in itself was answer enough and her mother conjured up a plate of ham sandwiches and made her eat them.

**"Aphrodite lay in her dark cupboard much later ****_wrapping her arms around her bruised and bloody body_****,"**

Oliver clutched her tighter to himself while trying to control his temper and glaring at the headmaster.

**"Wishing she had a watch. She didn't know what time it was and she couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, she couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food."**

"You shouldn't have to sneak to the kitchen for some food; you should if been fed properly." Alice said crossly.

"Aph, have they caught you before?" Sirius asked.

Aphrodite nodded his head.

"WHAT!" Sirius shouted. "When... what did they do?" Sirius asked now worried.

"It doesn't matter." Aphrodite said.

"Aphrodite..." Remus started but Aphrodite cut him off.

"Please Remy it's in the past, please just leave it." Aphrodite pleaded.

Remus just swallowed and nodded his head, then got up and gave Aphrodite a tight hug.

**"She'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as she could remember, ever since she'd been a baby and her parents had died in that car crash. She couldn't remember being in the car when her parents had died. Sometimes, when she strained her memory during long hours in her cupboard, she came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on her forehead."**

"Oh, baby." Lily said sadly upset her baby girl can remember that horrible day even though it hadn't happened to her and James yet, while James rubbed soothing circles on her back looking as much as upset as she was.

**"This, she supposed, was the crash, though she couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. She couldn't remember her parents at all. Her aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course she was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. When she had been younger, Aphrodite had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take her away, but it had never happened the Dursleys were her only family.**

**Yet sometimes she thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know her. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to her once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Aphrodite furiously if she knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at her once on a bus.**

**A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken her hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Aphrodite tried to get a closer look."**

"Merlin! That would have gotten annoying." Exclaimed Tonks.

"It did, I thought I was going mad." Aphrodite replied.

**"At school, Aphrodite had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Aphrodite Potter in her baggy old boy's clothes, and ****_nobody_**** liked to disagree with Dudley's gang."**

"We disagree!" Shouted all of Aphrodite's friends including Oliver and the two elder Weasley siblings.

"That's chapter, "Professor McGonagall said closing the book, she then turned to Dumbledore with a glare firmly in place. "SHE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK THERE ALBUS! YOU HEAR ME SHE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK THERE I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY!" She shouted at the man she once looked up to and then faced the room. "Who would like to read next?"

"I will Minerva." Said the gruff voice of Mad-eye Moody, making everyone jump as they had forgotten he was there, McGonagall passed the book to the ex-Auror who opened the next chapter.

"**Chapter Three The Letter from No One." **Mad-eye read.


	4. Chapter Four: Letters From No One

**A/N: Aphrodite will be getting her Hogwarts letter in this chapter even though her birthday is now on September 30****th**** and on July 31****st**** in this chapter it will be Lily's and James' Wedding anniversary to suite this story. The reason why she is getting her letter now is because Dumbledore wanted her to be introduced to the Magical World near to the time of Hogwarts and also so Hagrid could go and get her. And a lot of the book parts have been changed in this story so please read all of the bold otherwise you won't understand what is going on. Thank you.**

**Original text from the book will be in 'BOLD'**

**What I have changed will be in ****_bold italics._**

**Thoughts will be in ****_italics._**

* * *

Chapter Four: 

**"Chapter Three Letters From No One."** Moody read.

"Why are there letters from no one? Someone must have sent them." Ron asked.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes; "Of course they are from someone Ronald." she deadpanned.

"But who..." Ron was cut off by Oliver.

"It's her Hogwarts letter." He explained and motioned for Moody to continue.

**_"The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Aphrodite her longest-ever punishment and the worse beating she'd ever had, as she couldn't move for days without wincing. By the time she was allowed out of her cupboard again, the summer holidays had started._**

"When exactly is Dudley's birthday." Professor McGonagall asked her voice icily cold, she then noticed the angry looks on Lily and James' faces. "Do you two know when this boy's birthday is?"

"Yes," snarled James, "His birthday is the end of April."

"You where in the cupboard for two months." Oliver asked, holding Aphrodite closer to him.

"Yes, they only let me out to use the bathroom. They didn't even let me go to school said I had some sort of illness don't know what though."

"Albus! You said she was safe I should have known better as I watched them all day. I should have trusted my gut feeling, well now I'm putting it right. Aphrodite you are never going back there not if I have anything to say about it." Professor McGonagall fumed.

"Thank you Professor." Aphrodite said gratefully, Professor McGonagall just nodded her head and told Moody to continue with the reading.

**Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. Aphrodite was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader.** **The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favourite sport: Aphrodite Hunting.**

"How about we play Dudley Hunting." Draco suggested and all of Aph's friends and Oliver nodded.

**This was why Aphrodite spent as much time as possible in her cupboard, thinking about the end of the holidays, where she could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came she would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in her life, she wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Aphrodite, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school.**

"Nope." Neville said popping the P.

**Dudley thought this was very funny. "They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Aphrodite, "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

"No, thanks," said Aphrodite. "The poor toilets never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." Then she ran, before Dudley could work out what she'd said.

Everyone apart from Snape and Molly laughed though Ron's and Ginny's sounded rather fake.

Wiping the tears out of his eyes James turned to his daughter, "I know it's been said already but you really do have your mother's wit and my sense of humour." James smiled proudly at his daughter who beamed back at him.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Aphrodite at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Aphrodite watch television and gave her a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

"Oh the poor chocolate cake." Remus said sadly.

"Ok Mr. Chocoholic enough with the dramatics." Sirius chuckled kissing his husband on the cheek.

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobby sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life. As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life.**

"Wow that must be one sad life then." Alice said. Frank laughed at his wife and Neville smiled happily at his parents.

**Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins**

"Fred, George don't call me that anymore." Ron growled.

"Of course not Ickle Ronnikins." They said together glaring at their little brother they didn't like who he'd been treating Aphrodite and Hermione lately.

**He looked so handsome and grown-up. Aphrodite didn't trust herself to speak. She thought two of her ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh. ****There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Aphrodite went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. She went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like a dirty rag swimming in water.  
"What's this?" She asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if she dared to ask a question. "Your new school uniform," she said. Aphrodite looked in the bowl again. "Oh," She said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet." She finished sarcastically.**

"Sarcasm doesn't work on her Sweetie." Lily told her daughter kindly. "I know that now mum." Aphrodite said though she smiled at her mother.

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dying some of my old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

**_Aphrodite seriously doubted this, "So you're saying I actually get girls clothes instead of having to look like I'm wearing a tent all the time." Aphrodite was shocked._**

**_"Well of course you have to have a dress for your uniform and don't speak to me like that you ungrateful little girl after all we've done for you and this is how you repay me." Aunt Petunia glared at her._**

"How dare that cow," Sirius growled. "After all they've done for Aph. Who in the name of Merlin do they think they're kidding?"

**_She sat down at the table and tried not to think about how she was going to look on her first day at Stonewall High like she was wearing an old maids outfit that was more than double the correct size and without the apron._**

"After the reading I'm taking you shopping." Oliver declared.

Aphrodite smiled at her boyfriend, "You don't like going shopping unless it's for Quidditch and besides I've been shopping with Hermione." Aphrodite reasoned.

"That's not true I take you shopping when I want to buy you things and I don't care I'm still taking you." Oliver said in a voice that brooked no arguments. Aphrodite smiled and gave Oliver a chaste kiss which made all his muscles loosen.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Aphrodite's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table. They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat. "Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

"Oh my god he made the mini wale do something." Kingsleigh was shocked.

"Just wait." Aphrodite muttered.

**"Make Aphrodite get it."  
"Get the mail, Girl!"  
"Make Dudley get it."**

"Not going to work." The twins sing songed.

"Really I thought it would, oh well." Aphrodite sighed making everyone laugh.

**"Poke her with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

"You just wait until I get my hands on you Dursley." James growled.

**Aphrodite dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge**

"Bitch." Aphrodite muttered. Mrs. Weasley scowled at her but a glare from James stopped her from saying anything.

**Who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and - a letter for Aphrodite.**

"Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"A Fan letter?" Fred asked innocently, while Oliver blushed.

"What do you mean a fan letter?" Aphrodite asked confused, while looking at Oliver curiously.

"Well I'm sure all of the wizarding World has written to you at least once, you mean you never got them." Charlie asked.

"No." Aphrodite shook her head.

"That would be because I retorted the mail into a Vault in Gringotts." Albus explained.

**Aphrodite picked it up and stared at it, her heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her.**

"You mean you didn't get any of the letters or presents I sent you?" Remus asked, when Aphrodite shook her head Remus turned to glare at Dumbledore.

**Who would?**

"Everyone. Including Oliver and by how red his face is he sent more than one." Draco said. Aphrodite smiled and kissed Oliver making his face go even redder.

"Did you?" Aphrodite asked. Oliver nodded his face still very red, "Yea, but unlike everyone else I didn't address the letters as 'The Girl Who Lived' and saying thank you and all that rubbish I actually asked if you were okay?" Oliver explained.

"That is why I love you." Aphrodite said, "You love me for me and not the fame."

"Of course I love you for you I don't care about that rubbish." Oliver said giving Aphrodite a deep passionate kiss until it was iterrupted by her father clearing his throat rather loudly.

"And Ron and Ginny sent hundreds by the age of five." Fred said glaring at his younger siblings who were both glowering at Aph and Oliver; he shared a look with George saying they were both going to talk to them in the break.

**"She had no friends, no other relatives - she didn't belong to the library, so she'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. ****Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**  
**Miss. A. Potter**  
**The Cupboard under the Stairs**  
**4 Privet Drive**  
**Little Whinging**  
**Surrey**

"HOW IN THE BLODDY HELL DIDN'T ANYONE SEE THAT ADDRESS." Oliver shouted.

"It's a self inking Quill; I sign the letters before taking them to the Quill. Though I will be setting up a charm that looks for suspicious addresses." McGonagall couldn't believe she'd missed that.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

"Why in the world is it Green?" Sirius pouted.

"I like green; it's my favourite Colour even though I'm a Gryffindor." McGonagall said in exasperation.

**Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, Aphrodite saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion**

"Go, Go Gryffindor." The Gryffs shouted.

**An eagle,**

"Ravenclaw!" shouted Kingsley

**a badger;**

"Hufflepuff!" shouted Ted and Tonks.

**And a snake**

"Slytherin!" shouted Draco and Andy, while Cissa just clapped and Moody just sat there looking annoyyed at all the interuptions.

**Surrounding a large letter H.**

"Hogwarts!" shouted all the teenagers.

**"Hurry up, Girl!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

"That isn't funny." James was horrified at the sense of humour this man showed.

**Aphrodite went back to the kitchen, still staring at her letter.**

"That wasn't very smart Aphrodite dear." Andromeda said kindly.

"I know Mrs Tonks, but I was in shock." Aphrodite explained.

"That is understandable dear and you can call me Aunt Andy as I've known you since you were a baby and I can't believe how much you've grown. And I'm sure you can call Ted and Cissa Uncle Ted and Aunt Cissa." Andy smiled the people mentioned nodded and smiled at the young woman snuggled into Oliver.

**She handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**"**No!" Most of the room shouted.

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard. "Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk."**

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Aphrodite's got something!"**

"Why you little snitch." Ted snapped.

**Aphrodite was on the point of unfolding her letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of  
her hand by Uncle Vernon."That's mine!" said Aphrodite, trying to snatch it back.  
"Who'd be writing to you?"Sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter opening it with one hand and glancing at it.  
**  
"For the last time you fat whale many people would write to her." Sirius said.

"Sirius you've cracked you are now talking to a book." Frank told his old friend.

**His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge.**

"Gross." Tonks wrinkled her nose.

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise. "Vernon! Oh my goodness- Vernon!"**

"Drama Queen." Lily sneered.

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Aphrodite and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

"And I'm sure he got away with that too." Lily said angrily.

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.  
"I want to read It." said Aphrodite furiously, "as it's mine."**

"And here comes the famous Evan's temper." Sirius predicted.

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.  
Aphrodite didn't move.  
I WANT MY LETTER!" She shouted.**

"Told you," Sirius said.

"Actually, I think it's a mix of both James' and Lily's tempers." Remus said offhandedly.

"OI!" shouted James and Lily, while everyone else laughed.

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

"Entitled brat." Andy spat.

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon and he took both Aphrodite and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them.**

"Where you ok?" Lily asked worriedly.

"Yes I was fine." Aphrodite smiled at her mother who smiled back.

**Aphrodite and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won,**

"Well of course he is double my weight." Aphrodite explained as if it was obvious.

**So Aphrodite lay flat on her stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

"Best place anyway." Fred said.

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where she sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

"Of course not." Narcissa scoffed; "We have better things to do than watch you though someone reliable should have checked up on you." she then turned to glare at Dumbledore, who suppressed a flinch at the ferocity of her glare.

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly. But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't  
want -"  
Aphrodite could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.  
"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything...**

"That's the worst thing they can do." Tonks said resting her head on Kingsleigh's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Or the best." Arthur countered.

**"But -"  
"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took her in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

"STAMP OUT" James was on his feet the air around him seemed to crackle everyone moved away from him. Taking a few breaths so he wouldn't hex the ageing headmaster, but it was no good.

"You see what ignoring our Will has done Albus! See what happened to my baby girl! They tried to Stamp Out her magic I'm just glad they didn't otherwise she would be nothing more than an empty shell! But that's not the point you did that you put my baby girl in that situation and for that I shall never forgive you!" James spat glaring at Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry but she..." Dumbledore started but was cut off by an enraged Lily.

"Don't you dare say what you're going to say Albus, because I will not hesitate to hex you my daughter is never going back there she can live with either here with Sirius and Remus or Oliver. I would prefer here as she is still sixteen but it is between the four of them to decide." Lily shouted.

"Oliver as we want Aph to live with us for as long as possible you are welcome to come and live here as well but in your own room." Remus suggested.

"Thank you that is very kind of you." Oliver replied. Sirius and Remus just nodded thinking that they will sort it all out in the break and set dome ground rules and maybe ask Lily and James if they could Blood-Adopt Aphrodite.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Aphrodite in her cupboard. _Aphrodite flinched feeling as though her only safe place was being invaded as her Uncle was too big to reach her in here she didn't like it when he came in, as when it did it always meant she was in serious trouble._**

Oliver held her tighter. "You're safe." He whispered.

"And I thought you were meant to be a Gryffindor." Ginny sneered.

"Shut up Ginny! Aph is a Gryffindor and always will be." Neville glared at the youngest Weasley.

**"Where's my letter?" said Aphrodite the moment Uncle Vernon had squeeze through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**

"And there is the proof Aphrodite is a Gryffindor through and through." Sirius cheered. "Even though she us scared she still asked for her letter." Sirius smiled proudly at his Goddaughter who was being held in a Death Grip by Oliver.

**"No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

"Yeah like that's really going to stop them." Mad eye scoffed, before carrying on reading.

**"It was not a mistake," said Aphrodite angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**  
**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling.**

Shudders ran through Ron. The twins looked at Ron and apologised for their prank.

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

"He smiled how scary." Hermione said.

**"Err - yes, Aphrodite - about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking... you're really getting a bit big for it... we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

"A second bedroom," Oliver said with quite malicious.

"Oli its ok."

"No it's not ok, its not you should of never of been there." She felt a tear fall down on her face, a tear that was not her own. She looked up and wiped the stray tear from his face.

**"Why?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped her uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now." The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms. One for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom.**

"Four really four and you slept in a cupboard." Arthur shouted his ears turning bright red.

"He has that many toys they don't fit in his bedroom, so he has to have two." Sirius said with disgust.

"Well the second room was mostly the broken toys and the books that were never opened until I moved in there that is." Aphrodite said.

**It only took Aphrodite one trip**

_'That's why she's telling all these nasty attention seeking lies', _Percy thought_. 'It's because she didn't get any love and affection as a child, but that is still not an excuse.'_ He then noticed that Oliver was glaring at him as though he knew what he was thinking, Percy just sneered back at him and turned to listen to the story.

**Upstairs to move everything she owned from the cupboard to this room. She sat down on the bed and stared around her. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbour's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite program had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school. For a real air rifle, this was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it.**

"Poor air rifle." George shook his head mournfully.

**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

"Of course not we wouldn't want him to be smart." Hermione scoffed.

"Don't worry 'Mione, they have been now I've read then so much plus my new ones that the spine has a permanent crease in it." Aphrodite comforted her best friend.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, I don't want her in there... I need that room... make her get out..."**

"You better not Petunia because if you do I swear you won't know what's hit you." Lily snarled.

"Don't worry mum she didn't." Aphrodite reassured her mother.

"Good." Lily said.

**Aphrodite sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday she'd have given anything to be up here. Today she'd rather be back in her cupboard with that letter than up here without it. Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back.**

"Well at least they denied him that." Molly muttered angrily still trying to be Aphrodite's mother.

**Aphrodite was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing she'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Aphrodite, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! Miss A. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive-"**

"And that's even stupider then what Aphrodite did." Moody scoffed.

"Mad-eye! Don't call my daughter stupid, she was in shock leave her alone." James shouted.

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Aphrodite right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Aphrodite had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind ****_even though she'll pay for that later._**_  
_  
"You didn't did you Cub?" Remus asked trying to hold back the wolf that was fighting to take over at the thought of his Cub being abused.

"No he was too conceded with stopping ne getting the letters." Aph replied somewhat bitterly at the thought she didn't get her letters till Hagrid gave it to her.

**"After a minute of confused fighting-"**

"Aph, Aph, Aph." the twins chanted.

**"In which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Aphrodite's letter clutched in his hand.**

"No." The twins moaned.

**"Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Aphrodite. "Dudley - go- just go." Aphrodite walked round and round her new room. Someone knew she had moved out of her cupboard and they seemed to know she hadn't received her first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again?**

"Yep." Sirius nodded.

**And this time she'd make sure they didn't fail. She had a plan. The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Aphrodite turned it off quickly and dressed silently. She mustn't wake the Dursleys. She stole downstairs without turning on any of the was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first.**

"Good plan but its Aph so it won't work." Hermione shook her head.

"Yeah she's always better with spur of the moment things," Draco nodded.

**Her heart hammered as she crept across the dark hall toward the front door – Aphrodite leapt into the air; she'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat something alive! Lights clicked on upstairs and to her horror Aphrodite realised that the big, squashy something had been her uncle's face.**

"Priceless." Sirius beamed.

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Aphrodite didn't do exactly what she'd been trying to do. He shouted at Aphrodite for about half an hour ****_and slapped her right cheek leaving a large, red and stinging hand print on her face_****, and then told her to go and make a cup of tea.  
**  
Everyone growled at the fat walrus slapping get face. Oliver kissed the offended cheek as though to make it better.

**Aphrodite shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time she got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Aphrodite could see three letters addressed in green ink. "I want -" she began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before her eyes.**

"Bastard!" shouted James.

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot. "See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."**

"He's losing it." Neville.

"He can't lose what he didn't have Nev." Draco said very seriously and all the teenagers apart from Ron and Ginny to laugh.

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."  
"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

"You're right we don't think like you for one we know that fruit cake is not used as a tool." Ted said scathingly.

"Though it is aunt Petunia's cooking so it would work just the same."Aphrodite said seriously which made everybody laugh.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Aphrodite. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom. Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out.**

"Wow he's definitely loosing it." Frank said shocked.

"Oh this isn't even the worst of it yet." Aphrodite said with a small smile.

**He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises. On Saturday, things began to get out of hand.**

"It took until Saturday for you to think things were getting out if hand when your uncle was boarding up holes in the door frame." Ron said scathingly, "And here I thought you were top of our classes." He suddenly yelped as Draco had just thrown a mild Stinging hex at him.

"If you ever talk about Aph like that again you will get a lot worse than a mild Stinging hex." Draco snarled.

**Twenty-four letters to Aphrodite found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window.**

"Poor, poor confused milkman." Neville shook his head.

**While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

"Poor people at the post office and dairy." Draco shook his head following his friends lead.

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Aphrodite in amazement.**

"Oh, we've been through this," Fred and George said as if Dudley was slow, "the whole Wizarding World wanted to talk to Aph." They finished together.

_**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. "Fine day Sunday in my opinion the best day of the week. Why is that Dudley?" Uncle Vernon asked. Dudley just shrugged his shoulders and carried on eating the biscuits Aphrodite had just given him. ****"Because there's no post on Sunday's." Aphrodite answered as she handed Uncle Vernon a biscuit. Uncle Vernon turned to look at and she backed away a bit so she was just out of his reach. ****"Right, you are Aphrodite. No blasted letters today no sir. Not one nasty, miserab..." But uncle Vernon got cut off as a letter came flying out of the fireplace startling the Dursleys so much that Uncle Vernon dropped his biscuit. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets.**_

The room burst into laughter. "That will teach him to ignore Hogwarts letters. Sirius chuckled.

"No, that just made him crazier." Aphrodite said as she shook her head.

**The Dursleys ducked, but Aphrodite leapt into the air trying to catch one.**

"My little Seeker." Oliver whispered proudly in her ear giving her a squeeze.

"But he grabbed me before I could get one." Aphrodite whispered back sadly.

"Doesn't matter." Oliver said simply.

**"Out! OUT!" Uncle Vernon seized Aphrodite around the waist and threw her into the hall.**

"What in the Bloody hell is with him throwing you into the hall." McGonagall was furious and Lily and James were seething and took Aphrodite off if Oliver's lap and started checking her other of any injuries even though the event happened years ago.

"Why didn't you tell us any of this when we were healing you every summer Aph, you made it out to be less than it is we could of taken you to Madam Pomfrey when school started." Fred and George exclaimed annoyed at how she didn't tell them everything.

"What!" screeched Mrs Weasley. "You two knew and you never told anybody that is very irresponsible."

"Irresponsible is it. Well we remember telling you after we flew dad's car to rescue her before her second year that there was bars on her windows, that she was locked in her room from the outside and that they were starving her and YOU didn't believe us. So we decided to help Aph by giving her nutrient potions and healing her cuts and bruises every summer, we thought that at least a little help is better than none." Fred and George said angrily.

Lily got up and hugged the twins, "Thank you for looking after my baby girl." James nodded his head in agreement as he was to angry to speak at the moment that nobody believed them about his daughter being abused that didn't sit right with him not at all.

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor. "That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling  
great tufts out of his moustache at the same time.**

**I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some ****clothes. No arguments!" ****He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the ****boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. ****Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

"First off wow he hit him, second how did he think he was going to fit all of that in a bag?" Hermione asked.

"Its Dudley, Mione must you ask." Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this. ****They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was ****howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

"Oh you poor abused child. Welcome to my daughter's life." Lily sneered.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Aphrodite shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Though Aunt Petunia did put a sheet up between them. Dudley snored but Aphrodite stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering...**

"What were you wondering about love?" Oliver asked. Aphrodite thought for a few minutes than shrugged her shoulders, "I can't remember."

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.  
"'Scuse me, but is one of you Miss. A. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk." She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:  
Miss. A. Potter  
Room 17  
Railview Hotel  
Cokeworth**

**Aphrodite made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked her hand out of the way. The** **woman stared**. **"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room. "Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. **

"Probably but he's not that smart." James and Aphrodite snorted. They then looked at each other for a few minutes and the smiled.

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.**

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared. It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.**  
**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television. Monday.****This reminded Aphrodite of something. If it was Monday - and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television then tomorrow, Tuesday was**_** her parents Wedding Anniversary **_**and her eleventh birthday- though her birthdays are never excatly fun, last year she had got a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks and a coat hanger. But your not elven everyday. **

"This year Aph you are going to get a loads of presents and no arguments you deserve it." Sirius said in a voice that brook no arguments.

_**She had once heard, when she was four, her Aunt Petunia moaning to Uncle Vernon that her parents Wedding Anniversary was on the same day as her mothers, Aphrodite's grandmother's birthday. **__**And every year since then she would silently and privately celebrate that day by making cards and hiding them in her cupboard and now her room and going down to the park and putting red and white flowers on dirt mound she'd made one year. She didn't know why she chose those flowers but it felt to her that they meant something though she couldn't understand what. She couldn't name the makeshift grave as she didn't know her parents names.**_

"I still do that every year, but now I it after first year when I found out your names and put lilies on it and I drew a stag in the dirt next to it. And I would just sit there for hours by myself looking at the makeshift grave but now PadMoon comes with me and rests his head on my lap as I just sit there." Aphrodite told the room as she stoked PadMoon's head.

Everybody smiled sadly at the young woman held tightly in Oliver's lap at the dedication and love she showed the parents she didn't know and were fuming that she didn't even know her own parents names until the end of first year. And Sirius and Remus wishing they had been there for her.

Lily and James got up and held their daughter tightly between them and kissing her head softly as they whispered promises of that they will change all of this, before going back to their correct seats.

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought."Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!" It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain; there was no television in there. "Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together.**

""Great you're in a rickety building and a storm is coming." Sirius and Remus moaned, they were still shocked to find out what Aph had been doing to cope with her grieve of her parents since the age of four.

"As you can see I'm here I'm safe and everything turned out ok."

**"And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!" A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them. "I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

"Who does he think he is a Conductor." Tonks asked making her father, Lily, Aphrodite and Hermione laugh.

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house. ****The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas.**

"That's hardly even a snack let alone rations. And who knows how long he expects you to be out there." Alice was aghast looking at the too small and skinny girl on Oliver's lap.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shrivelled up. "Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully. ****He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Aphrodite privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer her up at all.**

Oliver just kissed her cheek.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. ****She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Aphrodite was left to find the softest bit of floor she could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

"I'm going to kill those bloody Dursleys, Aph is a part of my family and they are not going to get away with this." shouted Mr Weasley.

"You'll have to get in line Arthur." ground out James. "But thank you for looking after my baby girl when, when I couldn't." James finished sadly. Aphrodite got up and sat on her dads lap and gave him a hug.

"You did all you could daddy. You tried to hold Voldemort off yourself to give me and mum time to run it's not your fault."

"How do you know all of that?" Her mother gasped hoping her suspicion was wrong.

"I remember all of it. Dad trying to hold Voldemort off and, and h-he k-killing d-dad a-and t-then V-Voldemort c-coming a-after us and t-telling you m-mum to s-stand a-aside s-so h-he can kill me but y-you told him to kill you instead." Aphrodite said through her sobs as she buried her head in her dad's chest, while he rubbed her back and held her tight.

There was not a clear eye in the room as everyone was shocked that she could remember something as horrible as that in so much detail. "You didn't tell me you remembered all of that Aph." Remus said sadly.

"When did she tell you this?" McGonagall demanded.

"Third year. That's why she collapsed when the dementors got too close to her." Remus explained.

"Anyway don't worry James, Arthur," Tonks said in a voice thick with tears," we gave enough against the Dursleys to get them sent down for good." It was then as everybody looked at the three Aurors they noticed three long pieces of parchment. James nodded his head gratefully at her and returned his attention to his still sobbing daughter.

_**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Aphrodite couldn't sleep. She shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, her stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Aphrodite that it will be her parents Anniversary in ten minutes' time... **__**She lay and watched her parents anniversary tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all even though they have never spoken about her parents before (apart from the time she found out about the Anniversary her aunt and uncle didn't even know she was listening), and wondering where the letter writer was now.**_

"At Hogwarts getting ready for the next year." McGonagall said.

**Five minutes to go. Aphrodite heard something creak outside. She hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although she might be warmer if it did. Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that she'd be able to steal one somehow.**

"But I'm not going back to Privet drive right away so who cares." Aphrodite said in a small voice still upset about what she had told.

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea? One minute to go and it'll be her parents Anniversary. Thirty seconds... twenty ... ten... nine - maybe she'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him - three...two...one...**

**BOOM!"**

Everyone jumped as Moody roared out the word and causing multiple people to glare at him.

**The whole shack shivered and Aphrodite sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"Who?" Tonks asked.

"It doesn't say." Moody said in his gruff voice. "Who wants to read next?"

"I will." Kingsley said taking the book off of Moody.

**"Keeper of the Keys,"** He read and smiled.


	5. Chapter Five The Keeper Of Keys

Chapter Five:

**"Chapter Four The Keeper Of Keys,"** Kingsley read with a smile.

"Wait a minute Kings." James asked, Kingsley nodded marked the page and closed the book.

"Aph do you want to stay here or go back to sitting with Oliver?" James asked. Aphrodite looked over at Oliver and gave him an apologetic look but Oliver only smiled reassuringly, she smiled back and turned back to her dad. "Can I stay here please daddy." She asked quietly fearing what was going to come up in this chapter.

"Of course you can Aph." James said and brought her closer to his chest and then nodded at Kingsley telling him it was okay to continue now.

**"BOOM."**

"Really Kingsley must you yell." Remus rubbed his ear.

"Well yes, it was all in capitals." Kingsley replied.

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. "Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

"Can he ask any other way?" Narcissa asked exasperated.

"Nope." Aphrodite snickered.

**There was a crash behind them, and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands.**

"HE HAD A GUN NEAR MY DAUGHTER!" Lily screamed.

"What's a gun?" Arthur asked.

"It's a way to kill someone very slowly and it is very dangerous." Hermione said.

Everyone was outraged at this.

**Now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them."Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then. SMASH!**

"Really Kingsley!" Remus once again rubbed his ear.

"Sorry." He shrugged.

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.  
**  
"Oh good it's Hagrid," Alice beamed.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all. "Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."**

Mostly everyone in the room snickered at that.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear. "Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

More laughter rang out at that.

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon. "An' here's Aphrodite!" said the giant. Aphrodite looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yet mum's eyes an' nose."**

"First time someone told me that." Aphrodite said.

"I'm sure it wasn't the last though." Kingsley said.

"No, it makes me feel closer to them." Aphrodite shrugged her shoulders and everyone smiled sadly at the girl still in her father's lap.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise. "I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

" I highly doubt that Hagrid could care less that he is breaking and entering." Ted snorted.

_**"Ah, dry up Dursley, yeh great prune,"**_

"He does have the best comebacks." George shook his head fondly.

**said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

All the women let out the breathes they didn't know they had been holding.

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on."Anyway – Aphrodite," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "Welcome back an' happe birthdae, can' believe how much yer grown, anyway. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

"Don't eat it." Most of the room advised.

"It was actually good." Aphrodite shrugged.

"Something Hagrid cooked was good." Sirius was shocked.

"He can cook some things." Aphrodite shrugged.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Aphrodite opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with ****'Happe Birthdae ****Aphrodite' ****written on it in green icing.**

"That's sweet." Lily smiled.

"Yeah it was." Aphrodite smiled remembering the first decent cake she had tasted even if it was Hagrid's cooking.

**Aphrodite looked up at the giant. She meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to her mouth, and what she said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Well at least you tried." Remus smiled.

**The giant chuckled. "True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He held out an enormous hand and shook Aphrodite's whole arm.**

A few people cringed thinking about how that must have felt.

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."  
**  
"Hagrid." McGonagall groaned.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there.  
**  
"I was so confused and shocked I didn't know what to think because Uncle Vernon had always told me magic didn't exist and there was Hagrid making a fire appear." Aphrodite exclaimed, while Lily held her hand and rubbed soothing circles on the back of it.

"It's alright Sweetheart." Lily soothed.

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Aphrodite felt the warmth wash over her as though she'd sunk into a hot bath. The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea.  
**  
"Hagrid!" Molly shrieked causing those closest to her to rub their ears.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage.**

"I'm so hungry" Ron moaned.

"You're always hungry Ron." Hermione snapped.

"I told a few chapters ago Ron you can wait like the rest of us." Arthur told his son sternly.

**Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

**The giant chuckled darkly. "Yet great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."  
**  
"Go Hagrid." Fred and George cheered.

**He passed the sausages to Aphrodite, who was so hungry she had never tasted anything so wonderful, but she still couldn't take her eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, she said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.  
**  
**"Err - no," said Aphrodite.  
**  
**Hagrid looked shocked.  
**  
**"Sorry," Aphrodite said quickly.**

"Why would you be sorry it's not your fault?" Tonks said.

"Yeah well its automatic now." Aphrodite shrugged. She snuggled back into her dad not really wanting to answer questions about her life at the Dursleys; too much had been revealed already.

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents learned it all?"**

"All what?" asked Aphrodite.

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!" He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.  
**  
"Go Hagrid!" cheered Fred and George.

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this girl - this girl! Knows nothin' abou' about ANYTHING?  
**  
Draco groaned, "Now she's going to think you were calling her stupid."

"Hey!" Aphrodite protested.

"You know its true Aph." Draco counted.

"Well how was I supposed to know what Hagrid was going on about?" Aphrodite argued.

_**Aphrodite thought this was going a bit far. She had been to school, after all, and her marks weren't bad even though the Dursleys got mad at her for doing better than Dudley and made her get lower marks than Dudley if she didn't want to get beaten again, which never happened as she got beaten on a nearly daily occurrence. **_

Lily and James growled at the thought of their little girl being abused just because she did better than Dudley. "Do you try your best at Hogwarts, Sweetie?" Lily asked.

But before Aphrodite could answer Ginny interrupted, "No she doesn't she just copies off of Hermione." Ginny said with an evil glint in her eyes.

"No she doesn't copy off of Hermione Ginny why are you saying that when you are a year younger than us so for one you wouldn't know and for two in our first transfiguration and charms class in forst year, Aph completed the work before Hermione and she always does her own work and finishes it first." Neville shouted.

"Its true." agreed Draco, "Aph is always the first one finished then if Nev and I need help she helps us so shut up."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "And you will find out later in thus book that Aph taught me an elemental spell."

Everyone turned to stare open mouthed at Aphrodite. James was the first one to snap out of it, "You... You knew an elemental spell in first year?" James asked gobsmacked; Aphrodite just nodded her head looking at her hands in her lap.

"That's not all she learned how to do a Corporal Patronus in third year." Remus said. James and Lily turned to their daughter and brought her into a group hug. "We are so, so proud baby girl." James said proud evident in his voice.

**"I know some things," She said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

"Hagrid was just making me more confused." Aphrodite grumbled.

**"What world?"**

This earned a few snickers. Hagrid sounded as if he was about to explode.

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

Remus cringed as Kingsley yelled.

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Aphrodite. "But yeh must know about yet mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

"What? My - my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"

**"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Aphrodite with a bewildered stare. "Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally. Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

"Just great when I didn't think we'd have to hear from him." Ted moaned.

"We all did dear." Andy said as she patted her husband's hand.

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sit! I forbid you to tell the girl anything!"  
**  
"Like you can forbid Hagrid from doing anything," Bill said.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

Everyone braced themselves for what was coming as no one had ever heard Hagrid so angry before.

**"You never told her? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer her? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from her all these years?"**

**"Kept what from me? Aphrodite said eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.  
**  
"And he gets stupider." Percy murmured his family looked to be in shock it seemed that their brother was slowly but surely coming back to them.

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.** **"Ah, go boil yet heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Aphrodite- yer a witch."There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

_**"That's not very nice to say that to someone." Aphrodite said glaring at Hagrid.**_

Lily suddenly burst out laughing and everyone turned to look at her strangely, once she calmed down she explained, "I said the same thing too sweetie." Lily smiled at her daughter, when she still saw all the confused looks she explained, "In the Muggle World Witches are said not to be very nice as they steal people's children and have warts on their faces, so it is said to insult someone." Everyone apart from Hermione, Ted and Tonks nodded even if they didn't fully understand it.

"_**I don' mean like that Aphrodite, I mean you can do magic like yer mum an' dad an' me though I can' do much but anyway no' the point. Ter point is that yer are a witch but no' like yer thought." Hagrid explained.**_

_**Aphrodite stopped glaring at Hagrid and she became exited but she was also confused and voiced the doubt that had been bothering her, "But...but magic doesn't exist." Aphrodite said slowly.**_

"_**Course it does who told yer that." Aphrodite didn't answer but looked over at Uncle Vernon. Hagrid followed her line of sight and jumped to his feet, trembling again with furry. "You mean ter tell me, no' only didn' tell her abou' ter letter. Yer also told her that magic didn' exist." Hagrid roared at Uncle Vernon who tried to make himself even smaller. Hagrid took a few deep breathes before turning back to Aphrodite.**_

**"Anyway Aphrodite" said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "yer a witch an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit.**

"One of the best, you'd make a pretty good Auror girlie." Moody growled. Making several people who had forgotten he was their jump.

**With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon its abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"FINALLY," was heard all around the room.

**Aphrodite stretched out her hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to  
Miss A. Potter,  
The Floor,  
Hut-on-the-Rock,  
The Sea.**

"See how accurate that Quill is and yet nobody said or did anything about it." Oliver fumed upset for his girlfriend. "All the pain and suffering that Aph went through for all those years and every single summer could have been avoided."

"You really need to start checking Addresses." Alice said.

"Mr. Wood and Alice you are both right and I'll be seeing to watching the Quill personally." Minerva agreed.

**She pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards).**

**Dear Miss. Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  
Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Aphrodite's head like fireworks and she couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes she stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

"That's your first question out of all the others you could have asked you chose that." Ron sneered at her still jealous that she chose Oliver over him.

"Shut up Ron! And you wonder why she doesn't want to go out with you she liked you as a friend which is something you can't seem to accept, and you ruined your own friendship with the way you treated her like you owned her or like she is a piece of meat. WHICH SHE IS NOT! She is a human being just like you and she has feelings you just see her for her fame I noticed that by how quick you were to judge her and turn your back on her when she needed her friends. I'm just thankful she has better friends like Neville, Hermione, Draco and the twins." Oliver shouted.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OLIVER! ANYWAY YOU DON'T LOVER HER YOU JUST LOVE HER FOR HER FAME NOT ME! YOU..." Ron shouted but was cut off by Aphrodite.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Aphrodite screamed standing up in front of her dad glaring at Ron as everything started to shake and the lights started to flicker, Oliver rushed over to her and wrapped his arms around her trying to calm her down. "SHUT UP RON! JUST SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OLIVER DOES LOVE ME AS I TOLD YOU LAST YEAR! AND DON'T YOU DARE SAY YOU DON'T TREAT ME LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT BECAUSE YOU DO! YOU DO IT TO ME AND HERMIONE BUT YOU TREAT ME WORSE AND YOU WAS MY FIRST FRIEND I TRUSTED YOU AND YOU TREAT ME LIKE THAT!" Aphrodite shouted tears running down her face as Oliver held her tighter rubbing circles on her back.

Ron went open his mouth but Neville stopped him, "Save it Ron. You've done enough damage for one day. I'm surprised Aph put up with it for as long as she has. You started on Halloween in first year first you started on Hermione then on Aph when she told you to stop being horrible, and I told you to stop having ago at them, time and time again.

" Seamus and Dean might let you get away with it but I won't last year you made both Mione and Aph cry and me and Draco laid into you then, but this is enough you've crossed the line Ron. Call yourself their friend, ha, don't make me laugh friends don't behave the way you have towards them." Neville said glaring at the red head as he got up to see if Aph was okay.

Ron's older brothers looked at their brother as they realised what was said about Ron was true they just never noticed that much before, while Arthur turned to look disappointed at his son for treating the two girls who he saw as his favourite daughters (even though he knew he shouldn't have favourites) like that, but Ron ignored their looks and looked stony faced at the opposite wall. Fred and George made a promise to themselves to look after Aph who they saw as a little sister and Hermione who was their friend better from now on.

"Just to make sure that there is no doubt in anybody's heads I'll make this clear. I love Aph with all my heart and soul and I would never, ever hurt her. I would be hurting apart of myself if I did and I wouldn't and have never thought of hurting Aph in anyway shape or form." Oliver said seriously he then turned to Aph, "Are you okay babe?"

Aphrodite nodded and kissed Oliver and hugged him and Neville and thanked both before going back to her dad who opened his arms for her. Once she was being held in a tight hug by her father Kingsley continued reading.

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl - a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl  
**  
"Dear Merlin he has everything in there." Fred and George said trying to lighten the tension.

Aph smiled at what they were trying to do, "Just wait till we get to Gringotts." She said in a small voice, which made everyone frown.

**A long quill and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Aphrodite could read upside down:**

"You could read that." Dumbledore was shocked. Aphrodite just nodded.

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,  
Given Aphrodite her letter to buy her things tomorrow. Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.  
Hagrid**

**Hagrid rolled up the note gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

"Well to us it is Pup." Sirius said.

**Aphrodite realized her mouth was open and closed it quickly."Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight. "She's not going,"** **he said. **

**Hagrid grunted."I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop her," he said.**

**"A what?" said Aphrodite, interested.  
**  
**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles** **ever laid eyes on."**

**"We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of her!** **Witch indeed!"**

James looked like he would explode again. As did Sirius and Remus who was struggling with containing his wolf as his eyes burned gold, as they glared at Dumbledore.

**"You knew?" said Aphrodite. "You knew I'm a - a Witch?"**

"Of course they knew Petunia was only a few years older than me." Lily shouted, Aphrodite grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Lily looked at her daughter and smiled gratefully at her.

Kingsley stopped before he carried on reading and cleared his throat, "Erm, Lily your sister says some really horrible things coming up just to warn you and nobody interrupt I want to get this done as quickly as possible." Kingsley said sympathetic. Lily nodded and Aphrodite got up which startled her parents, "Where do you think you're going Aph." Lily asked.

"If it's what I think it is your going to want dad I'll sit with Oliver." Aph said and walked over to Oliver and sat in his lap. "Are you okay?" Oliver whispered in her ear concerned, she nodded and snuggled back into his chest. Lily and James looked at their daughter's face and saw she had gone quite pale they frowned at each other but James put his arm around Lily and let Kingsley continue.

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school-and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats.** **But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, **_**'We have a witch in the family, isn't it wonderful.**_**' But I was the only one to see her for what she was – a freak!"**

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had wanted to say all this for years."Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as - as – abnormal, **_**A freak. And then if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!" She said contemptuously.**__  
_  
There was instant uproar at that. "HOW DARE SHE SAY THAT ABOUT MY LILY-FLOWER!" James roared, "AND HOW DARE SHE CALL MY BABY GIRL A FREAK AND TELL MY BABY GIRL LIKE THAT! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HER!"

Aphrodite had curled further and further into Oliver's chest as Kingsley read that with silent tears running unstopping down her face, Oliver was no trying to get her to uncurl herself but it wasn't working. "Kingsley, can you please read I can't get Aph to stop curling in on herself." Oliver said in worry, everyone turned to look at him and saw that he was right. James, Lily, Sirius and Remus rushed over to try and help but it was no good so they just sat on the floor at Oliver's feet so they could be close to her.

**Aphrodite had gone very white. As soon as she found her voice she said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

Sirius and Remus growled at the book.

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal Aphrodite Potter not knowin' her own story when every kid in our world knows Her name!"**

**"But why? What happened?" Aphrodite asked urgently.  
**  
**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

"Poor Hagrid he wasn't expecting that." Remus sighed.

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Aphrodite, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh but someone s gotta yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys."Well, its best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..." He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with, with a person called but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"  
****  
"Who? "**

**"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

"I wonder if Aph can get Hagrid to say Voldemort's name." Neville said without flinching, making his parents stare at him curiously and some people in the room to flinch. "She can get anything out of Hagrid."

"We bet you five galleons she won't." Fred and George said together.

"Okay then." Neville agreed.

"Be prepared-" Fed started.

"To lose-" George.

"Then." They finished together but Neville just smirked he had a feeling that Aph got Hagrid to say it.

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Aphrodite, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..." Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Aphrodite suggested.**

**"Nah -can't spell it. All right - Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered.**

Fred and George gaped but were interrupted out of their musings by Neville clearing his throat. "I believe you two owe me five galleons each." He said with smile as Fred and George dug into their pockets and handed over the galleons, as Frank and Alice looked between Neville and his friends and shook their heads it reminded them to much of their Hogwarts days hanging out with the Marauders.

**"Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this - this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Aphrodite. Didn't know who ter trust didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day**

"Really?" Aphrodite asked sitting up a little on Oliver's lap. The group gathered around Oliver's feet turned to look at her and smiled that she had come out of her shell a bit.

"Yes Sweetheart, though I don't understand how your father got to be Head Boy, he along with these two." She said pointing to Sirius and Remus, "Were the biggest pranksters in the school." Lily finished smiling at her daughter.

"_**Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side. Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween nearly ten years ago. You were just two at ter time. He came ter yer house an' - an' -**_

Aphrodite buried her head in Oliver's chest as he stoked her hair.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn. "Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find - anyway..." "You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then.** **But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn' work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Aphrodite.**

"It wasn't me, why doesn't anyone realize that, it was mum."

"I know baby, I know." Oliver said soothingly as he continued to stroke her hair.

**No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age –**

Kingsley stopped, "Everyone there is going to be a list of dead coming up brace yourselves."

**The McKinnon's, the Bones, the Prewetts**

Molly whimpered and buried her head in Arthur's arms.

**An' you were only a baby, an' you lived."** **Something very painful was going on in Aphrodite's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, she saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than she had ever remembered it before - and she remembered something else, for the first time in her life: a high, cold, cruel laugh. ****Hagrid was watching her sadly. "Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Aphrodite jumped; she had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched. "Now, you listen here, girl," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a _really_ good beating wouldn't have cured, and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end."**

"Well no one asked for your opinion." Draco seethed.

"How dare he!" Andy and Narcissa yelled, They were sure the book was going to burst into flames from the look Sirius, Remus, Frank and Alice was giving it.  
**  
But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -I'm warning you - one more word..." In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

"Coward!" Sirius growled.

"Hopefully he'll stay that way." Ted said.

"Nope." Aphrodite said.

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor. Aphrodite, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them. "But what happened to Vol-, sorry - I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

"Oh My God. Quick Hermione, Draco write that down Aph didn't say Voldemort's name." Neville said seriously making everyone laugh.

"Shut up you Prat." Aphrodite said sticking out her tongue; Neville just copied her by sticking out his own tongue.

**"Good question, Aphrodite. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful why'd he go? Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.**

"He doesn't." Aphrodite whispered.

"Aphrodite could we see your memory of that day during the break please." Dumbledore asked, though it sounded more of a demand than a question.

Aphrodite looked up with a scared expression on her face that made everyone frown again, but Oliver turned to glare at Dumbledore, "No you cannot Dumbledore, she has nightmares about what happened as it is and I refuse to let you put her through anymore pain. You can just wait for the end of the forth book." Oliver snapped.

"My boy you cannot wrap her up in what was the Muggle phrase. Ah yes, 'you cannot wrap her up in cotton wool'." Dumbledore said politely, but his eyes darkened which gave away his true feelings.

"I can and I will. She is going through enough by reliving all of it by these books the least you can do is wait for the forth book." Oliver snapped at the headmaster.

"Oli's right you can wait I lost my friend who was like a big brother to me and then had to tell to tell you what happened not even half an hour afterwards. Even though I didn't tell you everything." Aphrodite said burring deeper into Oliver's embrace, she liked it there she felt safe and loved there.

"WHAT!" shouted Molly, "You didn't tell the headmaster everything? Do you know how dangerous that is you're putting people's lives at risk by not telling him fully what happened you foolish girl?"

Aphrodite flinched at the word 'girl' and turned to glare at Molly. "I am not putting people's lives at risk I told him everything that I could remember of Voldemort's plans. What I didn't tell him was what fully happened to me there." Aphrodite said holding her right arm, she then turned to Sirius. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Sirius, it just hurt too much I couldn't tell you and I knew you would go after them and I couldn't lose you too." Aphrodite said sadly.

"It's okay Puppy I understand I told Dumbledore the memories would be too fresh. If you're ready before the forth book you could always tell me or I can wait if it's still too painful, just know that me and Remus will always be there for you." Sirius said as he got up and hugged her.

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it.  
**  
"He was." Aphrodite said.

**People who were on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Aphrodite There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on I dunno what it was, no one does- but somethin' about you stumped him, all right." Hagrid looked at Aphrodite with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Aphrodite instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake.**

**A Witch? Her? How could she possibly be? She'd spent her life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and **_**beaten by Uncle Vernon**_**; if she was really a Witch why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock her in her cupboard? If she'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick her around like a football?  
"Hagrid," she said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a Witch."**

"Oh. Sweetie." Lily said sadly.

**To her surprise, Hagrid chuckled. "Not a witch, eh? Never made things happen when you were scared or angry?" Aphrodite looked into the fire. Now she came to think about it... every odd thing that had ever made her aunt and uncle furious with her had happened when she, Aphrodite, had been upset or angry chased by Dudley's gang, she had somehow found herself out of their reach dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, she'd managed to make it grow back. And the very last time Dudley had hit her, hadn't she got her revenge, without even realizing she was doing it? Hadn't she set a boa constrictor on him.**

**Aphrodite looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at her. "See?" said Hagrid. "Aphrodite Potter, not a witch - you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

"I wish I wasn't." She grumbled.

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. "Haven't I told you she's not going?" he hissed. "She's going to Stonewall High and she'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and she needs all sorts of rubbish spell books and wands and-"**

**"If she wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop her," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's daughter goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. Her name's been down ever since she was born."**

Moody whistled, "You must be powerful girlie to have your name down since you were born normally a witch or wizard's name Muggleborn included have their names put down when they are bout two-four months old. " Moody said impressed.

Aphrodite blushed and buried her head in Oliver's chest. Causing him to laugh and for Aphrodite to slap his chest lightly causing Oliver to yelp. "You wound me babe." He said with a mock pout, rubbing the offended area of his chest.

"Poor baby," Aphrodite cooed. "Do you want me to kiss it better?"

"Yes please it hurts so much." Oliver said still with the mock hurt voice. Fred and George were staring at Oliver as if he had grown a second head. What happened to the uptight Quidditch fanatic captain/keeper they used to know.

Aphrodite bent her head down and kissed where she had slapped him, and then looked up into his eyes a few seconds later, "Better?" She asked. Oliver nodded and pulled her closer to his chest and gave her a deep passionate kiss, when the need to breathe made itself known they reluctantly pulled apart. "Much better, thanks baby." Oliver said with a big goofy smile on his face.

**"She's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and she won't know herself. She'll be with youngsters of her own sort, fer a change, an' she'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled-"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL To TEACH HER MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"Bad, bad move." Bill shook his head while Aphrodite was trying to control her laughter.

"And what's so funny, love?" Oliver asked confused holding her tighter to stop her falling off of his lap.

"Just read." She giggled.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT- ALBUS- DUMBLEDORE IN- FRONT- OF- ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Aphrodite saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.  
**  
Everyone roared with laughter and it took a couple of minutes for everyone to calm down enough to read.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. "Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

Everyone started laughing again, though not as loud as before.

**He cast a sideways look at Aphrodite under his bushy eyebrows."Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job"**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Aphrodite.**

"He'll never tell you that." Sirius shook his head.

"Oh we know." Aphrodite smirked looking at her friends.

"How?" Sirius sputtered

"Second book." Was all she said.

"No fair." grumbled Sirius.

**"Oh, well I was at Hogwarts meself but I er got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."**

**"Why were you expelled?"**

"I still can't believe they find out." Sirius pouted.

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town; get all yer books an' that." He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Aphrodite. "You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"That's it." Kingsleigh said "who wants to read next?"

"I will." James said as he 'Accio'd' the book over to him and opened the next chapter.

"Yes!" James shouted, "I get Diagon Alley." The next second he became sad as realised that he and Lily had never taken his little girl to Diagon Alley for the first time. He startled when he felt Lily's hand slip into his, "Don't worry James we can change this that's why we're here and then we can take her for real and Frank and Alice can take Neville." James smiled at his wife and started to read.

"**Chapter Five Diagon Alley." **James read.


	6. Chapter Six: Diagon Alley

Chapter Six: Diagon Alley.

"Before I start reading I want to know what you meant when you said that Ron treats you like a piece of meat and as if he owns you." James growled.

Aphrodite looked at her enraged father and swallowed nervously, "Well he, he always gets really angry if I don't do what he wants me too like agreeing with him about something and dictating what I can do and who I go out with even though I never listen to him when he's like that.

"And the way he talks about me to Seamus and Dean it just pisses me off, who the hell do they think they are talking about me like that as if I'm something that they want for a few minutes to have a quick shag, than drop me as if I'm rubbish. I've had enough of the Dursleys treating me as if I'm a waste of space not good enough to clean the crap off of their shoes I don't need to take that shit from them." Aphrodite raged.

Oliver held her tighter as he nuzzled her neck trying to calm her down, "Its okay baby its okay I won't ever treat you like that I'll treasure you and my time with you treat you with the respect and love you deserve forever. I love you baby always have and always will." Oliver whispered into her neck making her shiver slightly.

He then said a little louder so the whole room could hear him, "And the next person to treat you like that I won't even thinks of magic, I'll knock his block off!" Oliver growled glaring right at Ron.

James smiled proudly that Aphrodite had found someone who would always treat her right and will always care for her and will always try his best to protect her. He then turned to glare at Ron, "If you even think of treating my daughter like that again or hurt her in any way you won't only have me to answer to I can promise you will have Sirius, Remus, Frank, Ted and Kings to deal with and we won't be so lenient in what we do, as the Potter family was originally a Grey family." James growled.

"James!" screeched Mrs Weasley, "how dare you threaten my son."

"I was just warning him Molly that if he ever treats my daughter like that again he will get what's coming to him."

Molly went to argue but Arthur stopped her. "Molly enough James is well within his right to do what he wishes if Aph his treated like that again, it's what any decent father would do it's what I would and I for one am very disappointed to learn how Ron has been treating her." Arthur said in a voice of suppressed rage.

Arthur gave his son a look that promised they would be speaking in the break and he won't like the consequences. With that all said James carried on reading.

**DIAGON ALLEY** He read.

Fred and George cheered trying to defuse the tension though they were still angry from finding out how their brother treated their sister. It worked as there were a few laughs at their antics.

"Finally you're going to be in the wizarding world." Tonks cheered.

**Aphrodite woke early the next morning. Although she could tell it was daylight, she kept her eyes shut tight. "It was a dream, she told herself firmly." I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for witches. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."  
**  
"That's so sad.' Andy whispered looking sadly at her niece.

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Aphrodite thought, her heart sinking. But she still didn't open her eyes. It had been such a good dream. Tap. Tap. Tap. "All right," Aphrodite mumbled, "I'm getting up." She sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off her.**

**The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak. ****Aphrodite scrambled to her feet, so happy she felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside her** _**as her hair turned bright orange**_**.**

"There is something that's bothering me," Tonks commented, everyone turned to look at her curiously. "Aph how come it just said that when you was happy you're hair turned bright orange and you change your hair all the time now so I know you're a Metamorphagus like me, but didn't it change when you were little at the Dursleys because it hasn't said in the other chapters."

"Well it did change when I was really little and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon got really mad and it took all my control to stop it, but I practised in the cupboard and then in my room at night." Aphrodite said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Mad-eye your right she is powerful I couldn't even control the colour of my hair when I was eleven or twelve." Tonks replied after she had stopped gaping at Aphrodite.

**She went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. "Don't do that." Aphrodite tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat.  
**  
Oliver started checking her hands to see if there was any lasting damage making Aphrodite laugh. "I'm fine Love I pulled my hands back before it did anything." Aphrodite said with a smile, Oliver than kissed both of her hands and then her cheek, "Well I just wanted to check."

**"Hagrid!" said Aphrodite loudly. "There's an owl"**

**"Pay him,"** **Hagrid grunted into the sofa.  
**  
"He was trying to teach me the currency." Aphrodite said quickly before anyone could say anything.

**"What?"**

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets - bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags...finally, Aphrodite pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

**"Knuts?"**

**"The little bronze ones." Aphrodite counted out five little bronze coins and the owl held out his leg so Aphrodite could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window. Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.  
**  
A few people laughed at that. "Oh Hagrid." McGonagall sighed.

**"Best be Off, Aphrodite, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." Aphrodite was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. She had just thought of something that made her feel as though the happy balloon inside her had got a puncture.  
**  
Fred and George snickered.

**"Um - Hagrid?"**

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

**"I haven't got any money - and you heard Uncle Vernon last night ... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."  
**  
"You seriously thought we wouldn't leave you anything?" Lily asked.

"Well yeah the Dursleys always said you didn't want me that's why you got drunk and drove the car so you didn't have to live with me anymore." Aphrodite said tearfully, Oliver held her and rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

"Of course we wanted to you Sweetheart we still do and we always will no matter what those people told you we have always lived you and always will that's why we're here to change what happened so we can be with you forever, when we were told what happened it killed us to know we never got to see our precious baby girl grow into the beautiful, caring, kind and thoughtful young woman sitting beside us." Lily smiled sadly at her baby hoping she can change what happened.

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

**"But if their house was destroyed -"**

**"They didn' keep their gold in the house girl!  
**  
Aphrodite flinched at being called 'girl'. "Well I didn't know that in the Muggle fairy stories witches and wizards did." Aphrodite said with a pout which Oliver instantly kissed away.

**Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold - an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer cake, neither."**

**"Wizards have banks?"**

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins." Aphrodite dropped the bit of sausage she was holding.**

**"Goblins?"**

**"Yeah - so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Aphrodite. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts.**

"Neither is safe anymore." Aphrodite grumbled sharing a look with Hermione and Draco.

"What did you three do?" Narcissa asked.

"Too many things to count, Aunt Cissa." Aphrodite said.

"You three will be the death of me." She groaned.

**As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business."**

"Oh Hagrid." Minerva shook her head.

"What?" Molly asked.

"Well she's James and Lily's daughter you can't say something like that in front their daughter."

Sirius burst into laughter getting hit upside the head with a pillow curtsy of his husband.

**Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts - knows he can trust me, see. "Got everythin'? Come on, then." Aphrodite followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm. "How did you get here?" Aphrodite asked, looking around for another boat. ****"Flew," said Hagrid.  
**  
"He what?" Tonks exclaimed.

"Flew. That's what it says.' James read the word over.

"How in the world..." Tonks asked faintly.

**"Flew?"**

**"Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." They settled down in the boat, Aphrodite still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.  
**  
"Well anyone would stare." Ted nodded still trying to work out how someone like Hagrid could fly.

"How did your relatives get back?" Oliver asked.

"Hagrid sent the boat back after we got out." Aphrodite answered.

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Aphrodite another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter - er - speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

**"Of course not," said Aphrodite eager to see more magic.  
**  
"I can understand that." Professor McGonagall said albeit a bit reluctantly.

**Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.**

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Aphrodite asked.**

**"Spells - enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons' guardin' the high security vaults.**

"WHAT!" shouted Charlie. "Bill please tell me there is no dragon down there." Charlie snarled at his older brother.

But before Bill could say anything a note fell into Charlie's lap and he read it out loud:

_Dear Charlie, _

_To answer your question yes there was a dragon down there a Ukranam Iron-belly to be exact, but don't worry Aphrodite, Hermione and Draco found it in their seventh year and escaped on it when they broke into Gringotts and then set it free. I won't tell you how they found out and why they were there in the first place you will have to wait until the seventh book. But I will tell you so you don't think bad of them; it was to get something that would help defeat Voldemort._

_Yours _

_T.K.S_

Everyone turned to look at the three mentioned in shock and disbelief. "What we haven't done this yet and I have no idea why we would even break into Gringotts even if it was to get something that will help defeat Voldemort?" Aphrodite said in numb disbelieve.

"Don't worry baby I don't judge you and I will always stick by you." Oliver said and Aphrodite smiled in thanks and let her father continue.

**And then yeh gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

"Well that isn't true in the summer before our first year someone broke into Gringotts and then Aph, Hermione and Draco did it in our seventh year apparently. I always knew you three were crazy." Neville said with a smile, the three afore mentioned just stuck their tongues out at him.

**Aphrodite sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet.**

"Garbage." Hermione growled.

"Fifth."Aphrodite added.

"Not even good enough to use to line an owl cage." Draco snapped.

**Aphrodite had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, she'd never had so many questions in her life. Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual,"** **Hagrid muttered, turning the page.  
**  
"Nothing new there." Oliver growled thinking of what they're saying about his girlfriend.

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Aphrodite asked, before she could stop herself. "**

**'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, ****so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one.  
**  
"And isn't that the truth." Charlie rolled his eyes.

**So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"**

"Nothing, absolutely nothing except make up lies." Sirius growled. Earning nods from everyone in the room.

"Why what's happened?" Lily asked, Sirius looked at her cautiously and then at Remus for help, who just sighed and shook his head.

"Well, as you were told before you came that Aph was kidnapped by Death Eaters last year and Voldemort came back well that bloody idiot we have has a Minister." Sirius said but James didn't need Sirius to continue to know what had happened not that it made him any less angry in fact it just made his anger worse.

"You mean to tell me," James said in a deadly calm voice. "That the Minister doesn't believe Aph and is now spreading lies about her about MY BABY GIRL!" Sirius just nodded his head not wanting James to take his temper out on him or Lily for that fact as she looked ready to start hexing someone. James took a few deep breathes to calm himself down and continued reading.

**Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country.**

**"Why?"**

**"Why? Blimey, Aphrodite everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone." At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street. Passers-by stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Aphrodite couldn't blame them.**

"Neither can we." Tonks said.

**Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Aphrodite? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"**

**"Hagrid," said Aphrodite, panting a bit as she ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

**"You'd like one?"**

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go."**

"You mean to tell me that there was an actually a dragon." McGonagall asked.

"What when were you near a dragon, young lady?" Lily asked looking intently at her daughter.

"You'll find out in this book and forth book." Aphrodite said simply.

"You were near a dragon twice!" shouted Lily, even James looked pissed and worried that is only daughter was near a dragon.

"Well last year wasn't my fault I had no choice and I couldn't let Hagrid get into trouble." Aphrodite replied. "Dad could you continue please you'll find out why I did it in a couple of chapters." James looked like he wanted to ask more but decided to find out from the book.

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Aphrodite so she could buy their tickets. People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

**"Still got yer letter, Aphrodite?" he asked as he counted stitches. Aphrodite took the parchment envelope out of her pocket.**

**"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need." Aphrodite unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed the night before, and read;**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY UNIFORM**

**First-year students will require:**

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) **

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

"You really need to change that otherwise people, who have a...a fury little problem can't wear them and can't get warm in the winter." Aphrodite commented.

Everyone looked proudly at the young woman in Oliver's lap.

"You're right Miss Potter I will get them changed immediately, sorry Remus." McGonagall apologised.

"It's fine Minerva I didn't say anything so how was you supposed to know and Aph I'm so proud of you." Remus said smiling warmly at his hopefully soon to be adopted daughter.

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

"It's for the House elves." McGonagall said seeing the question coming this caused Hermione to huff.

**COURSE BOOKS**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**

"Lils isn't that the old lady who lives near us the one who comes round for tea and who dotes on Aph?" James asked.

"Yea it is." Lily smiled at her daughter's and her daughter's friends shocked faces.

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

**OTHER EQUIPMENT**

**Wand  
**  
**Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) **

**Set Glass or crystal phials**

**Telescope set**

**Brass scales**

**Students may also bring animals either, an owl, a cat, or a Toad.**

"How did you get to take PadMoon in then?" Kingsley asked.

"He's my familiar Hagrid had already brought me Hedwig my snowy owl who's out hunting right now. We were walking to Ollivanders when we saw Magical Mengerie and I asked Hagrid if we could go in there quickly, but I won't spoil how I actually picked him." Aphrodite replied, stoking PadMoon's head.

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

**"Can we buy all this in London?" Aphrodite wondered aloud.**

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid. Aphrodite had never been to London before.**

"I have now, loads of times this summer with Oli." Aphrodite smiled at the memory.

"My dear girl that was very irresponsible going off to London by yourself you were meant to stay at the Dursleys until we came to pick you up." Dumbledore said looking at her with disappointment written all over his face.

"Well I'm sorry Dumbledore I didn't agree with how you wanted her to remain there nearly all summer without seeing any of us so I went to Privet Drive and took her out places on dates and spent time with my girlfriend. She needed people around her after what happened to her last year not just shut away and forgot about. And it's a good thing I went there and took her out places and spent time with her you didn't see how ill she looked during the summer and I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen so I took her to my apartment to get her something decent to eat, I was always with her she was never by herself, and I would do it again if I had too." Oliver ranted. Aphrodite kissed his cheek to calm him down and in thanks for what he did for her that summer.

**Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. "I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops. Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Aphrodite had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?  
**  
"The Dursley's have no sense of humour you know that." George snickered.

**If Aphrodite hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humour, she might have thought so;**

"See I knew that but my head was spinning."

**Yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told her so far was unbelievable, Aphrodite couldn't help trusting him. "This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place." It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Aphrodite wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Aphrodite had the most peculiar feeling that only she and Hagrid could see it.  
**  
"There are Muggle repelling charms on there." Tonks told her.

**Before she could mention this, Hagrid had steered her inside. For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut.**

**The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?" "Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Aphrodite's**

Aphrodite rubbed her shoulder remembering the pain. Oliver bent down and kissed the spot. Lily smiled slightly at the picture as it reminded her of her and James though they her daughter and Oliver seemed to be showing the signs of Soul mates.

"Don't they remind you of us?" She whispered to her husband.

"Yes they do, though I think they are more Soul mates." James whispered back.

"Yes that's what I thought too as they do seem to be showing the signs. I wonder if they know they're Soul mates." Lily wondered.

"Well, you can ask them in the break Lils as it's after the Sorting chapter." James whispered and Lily nodded her head in agreement.

**Shoulder and making Aphrodite's knees buckle. "Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Aphrodite "is this - can this be -?"**

"And it starts." Aphrodite groaned.

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

**"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Aphrodite Potter... what an honour." He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Aphrodite and seized her hand, tears in his eyes. "Welcome back, Miss. Potter, welcome back." Aphrodite didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at her; the old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment she found herself surrounded by everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. **_**Aphrodite took one look at everyone surrounding her and immediately she went and hid behind one of Hagrid's large legs, making everyone look at her in surprise. Hagrid looked down at her and gave her a reassuring smile."**_

"I didn't like being surrounded it made me feel helpless like how I feel when Uncle Vernon is in front of me before he starts beating me." Aphrodite explained in a sad small voice as everyone looked at her in anger and sadness.

"It's okay Love we understand and we won't judge you. I would never judge you not for anything I promise. You're **NEVER** going back their so you will never have to feel like that again and if I ever see that fat walrus he won't know what hit him." Oliver said as he clutched her to him.

_**"Hey, it's alrigh' Aphrodite, you're safe here they jus' wan' ter say hello ter yer that's all." Hagrid explained still smiling reassuringly at her. Aphrodite looked up at Hagrid and looked him in the eyes searching to see if he was lying to her. But all she could she was the truth and slight concern shining in his eyes and she slowly came out from behind Hagrid's legs. "That's a girl." Hagrid smiled at her and put his hand back on her shoulder. As soon as Aphrodite was back in front of Hagrid she found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**_ **"Doris Crockford, Miss. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

**"So proud, Miss. Potter, I'm just so proud." "Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter." "Delighted, Miss. Potter just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."**

**"I've seen you before!" said Aphrodite, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop." "She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? She remembers me!" Aphrodite shook hands again and again - Doris Crockford kept coming back for more. A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching. "Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Aphrodite, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

"Bastard!" Aphrodite glared as she rubbed her neck.

"Aph what's wrong with your neck?" Oliver asked concerned.

"Nothing I'm fine." Aphrodite said, Oliver frowned but didn't say anything else about it. For now.

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Aphrodite's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."**

**"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"**

**"D-Defence against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.**

"Idiot. Complete and utter idiot." Aphrodite snarled, everyone turned to look at her as they had never heard her talk about someone like that.

**"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought. But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Aphrodite to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

**"Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Aphrodite." Doris Crockford shook Aphrodite's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. Hagrid grinned at Aphrodite. "Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you were famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

"No he's a faker." Aphrodite said.

"That's it I've had enough. Aphrodite stop being rude about your Professors you need to learn some respect young lady." Molly shouted.

"I do respect my Professors but respect has to be earned to get it and I do not respect someone who was a Death Eater." Aphrodite shouted.

"Very good girlie. Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater and as I keep telling everyone CONSTANT VIGILENCE!" Moody shouted.

**"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since.**

"It wasn't either that he met." Aphrodite said quietly making Oliver look at her curiously.

"Do you know who it is love?" Oliver asked. Aphrodite nodded and pressed a kiss to Oliver's neck making him bite his lip to stop himself from moaning.

"You little tease." Oliver whispered.

"I know." Aphrodite winked. "I'll tell you later who he met." Oliver nodded and kissed Aphrodite's cheek.

**Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, where's me umbrella?" Vampires? Hags? Aphrodite's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can. "Three up... two across," he muttered. "Right, stand back, Aphrodite." He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. The brick he had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. "Welcome, **_**Aphrodite**_**" said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley." He grinned at Aphrodite's amazement.**

"It's magnificent." She breathed.

"It is." Hermione nodded.

**They stepped through the archway. Aphrodite looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them. "Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first." Aphrodite wished she had about eight more eyes.**

Ron shuddered and threw the twins a dirty look.

**She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad..."**

"Was that you mum?" Ginny asked.

"I think so." Mrs. Weasley.

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeyelops Owl Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Aphrodite's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Aphrodite heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever -"**

James stopped reading and looked over at his daughter Aphrodite knew what he was going to ask and turned to Oliver and whispered in his ear, "Play along." She then kissed his neck again so no one would get suspicious and because she wanted to.

"Aph, do you like Quidditch?" James asked Lily shook her head at her husband.

"No I don't like Quidditch I don't like to fly either." Aphrodite said with a straight face.

"But...but you're wearing a Puddlemere United t-shirt." James stuttered.

"I know its Oliver's shirt." Aphrodite said as she got up and pulled her hair over shoulder to see 'Wood' she then sat back down on Oliver's lap. "Oliver gave me the shirt and I support Puddlemere United because Oliver plays Keeper for them." Aphrodite continued.

"What but...but." words seemed to fail James and he looked pleadingly at his daughter then turned to Oliver, "Has she ever liked Quidditch?"

"No, she supported my team even though she doesn't like Quidditch, which makes me lover her even more." Oliver said as he kissed Aphrodite on the cheek.

"Did you used to play Quidditch dad?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yes. I was Gryffindor's seeker and Sirius and Frank were the Beaters. Neville do you like Quidditch or even flying?" James seemed to be almost begging now.

"No I don't like either I like to keep my feet firmly on the ground." Neville answered trying to keep a straight face at the look on James' and his dad's faces.

"What why did you two have to take after your mother's." James and Frank said at the same time.

"James just read." Lily said though she was smiling.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Aphrodite had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon...**

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid. They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was - "Yeah, that's a goblin,"** **said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Aphrodite.**

"You know that Aph was tiny in first year now when a Goblin is only a head shorter than her." Fred and George teased, "And she was going to be twelve on 30th September not even Neville or Hermione was that small when they were in first year and Neville is a day older than Aph."

"Oh shut up." Aphrodite grumbled.

"It's alright love as they say the best things come in small packages and that is definitely true from where I'm sitting." Oliver said into her ear making her blush brightly and her hair to turn a bright pink.

"What did you say to her?" James asked.

"Trust me Mr Potter where those two are concerned you don't want to know." Draco said.

**He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Aphrodite noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

**Enter, stranger, but take heed**

**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**

**For those who take, but do not earn,**

**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**

**So if you seek beneath our floors**

**A treasure that was never yours,**

**Thief, you have been warned, beware**

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

"I like that poem." Aphrodite said.

"You're strange." Oliver said, "But that's why I love you."

**"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid. A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Aphrodite made for the counter. "Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Miss. Aphrodite Potter's safe."**

**"You have her key, Sir?"**

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers.**

"He won't like that." Bill said

**The goblin wrinkled his nose.**

"See." Bill said.

"No one argued with you Bill." Charlie said shaking his head at his older brother.

**Aphrodite watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. "Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. The goblin looked at it closely. "That seems to be in order." "An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

"Hagrid." McGonagall snapped.

**The goblin read the letter carefully. "Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!" Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Aphrodite followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.**

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" ****Aphrodite asked.**

"And this is the curiosity you get from James and Lily's daughter." Sirius snickered.

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my jobs worth ter tell yeh that."**

"So he just makes her even more curious." McGonagall scowled.

**Griphook held the door open for them. Aphrodite, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in - Hagrid with some difficulty - and were off. At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Aphrodite tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible.**

"Wow even I have trouble with that." Bill said.

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering. Aphrodite's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open. Once, she thought she saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - - they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor. "I never know," Aphrodite called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick." He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling. Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Aphrodite gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

"There's more than that. That's just the Trust Vault." James said.

"What?" Aphrodite was perplexed.

"You mean no one told you?" Lily asked when Aphrodite shook her head. Lily turned to Sirius and Remus and raised her eyebrows.

"Don't look at us Dumbledore told us he had told her about it." Sirius said than he turned to glare at Dumbledore.

"Is this true Albus." McGonagall demanded. Albus had the grace to look at the opposite wall.

"Don't worry Aph when we're finished here Sirius and I will take you to the Vault." Remus said.

**"All yours," smiled Hagrid. All Aphrodite's - it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from her faster than blinking.**

Growls were heard from Sirius and Remus.

**How often had they complained how much Aphrodite cost them to keep?**

"First off all they don't spend anything on you as I can tell." McGonagall's face went red. "And they should because they get a monthly stipend."

"Of course they do." Oliver growled. "And I'm sure they spend it on their wale of a son."

"Wait the Dursley are given Money to care for me." Hurt flashed through Aphrodite's eyes. And everyone could tell no matter what she said about not caring about the Dursleys not liking her they could tell she was upset that the people who were meant to look after her and love her didn't.

"Don't worry baby, you never have to see them again." Oliver whispered he didn't like seeing her upset.

**And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to her, buried deep under London. Hagrid helped Aphrodite pile some of it into a bag. "The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, its easy enough. ****Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook. They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. ****The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Aphrodite leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled her back by the scruff of her neck.**

"You're fearless, absolutely fearless." Frank said as he shook his head.

"No she's not dad. That's just a front she puts up so no one can hurt her but she does let her guard around us." Neville said.

"Well I'm glad she has you, Hermione, Draco, Oliver, Fred and George to look out for her." James said.

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. "Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Aphrodite asked.**

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

"That's a lie we check every other week." Bill snorted.

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Aphrodite was sure, and she leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least - but at first she thought it was empty. Then she noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Aphrodite longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

"You actually do have some control than do you Potter? Good maybe I can get it through that thick skull of yours that not everything revolves around you and not everything is your business." Snape sneered hatefully, he had been quiet for a while just listening to the story.

"Shut up Snivilious!" James shouted. "Don't you dare talk to my daughter like that she has done nothing to you I see you cannot get other an old school grudge and you are now taking it out on my daughter. She had nothing to do with it, you bastard!" James snarled.

"That's nice for Snape." Draco said glaring at his Godfather he was getting fed up with how he treated his friends.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked glaring at her old friend.

"Ever since first year he has been bullying me and Aph but he's always worse towards Aph." Neville said.

"SEVERUS!" Lily, Alice and McGonagall shouted. "How dare you treat them like that you are a teacher and they are you're students."

"If I found out anything else Severus you will find yourself in a heap of trouble not even Albus can dig you out of this time." Minerva snarled glaring at her two colleagues.

**"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, its best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Aphrodite didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that she was holding more money than she'd had in her whole life - more money than even Dudley had ever had. "Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Aphrodite, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts."**

"He better not have." Lily and Alice snapped.

"I'm fine its fine." Aphrodite waved away their concern.

"Albus." McGonagall growled.

"I promise Minerva I'll talk to him." Albus sighed tiredly.

**He did still look a bit sick, so Aphrodite entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

"You are Aphrodite Potter you could have been kidnapped." Mrs. Weasley fumed though there was no concern for her behind it just who she was.

"It's that all you care about who I am, a name is that all I am to you nothing else." Aphrodite asked the hurt evident in her voice.

"Well that's what you are and mum promised you were going to be mine but now you're with him." Ron snarled.

"Wait what? Molly what's this?" Arthur asked outraged at how Aphrodite was being treated by his wife and his two youngest children.

"Well Dumbledore set up a marriage contract between Ron and Aphrodite when they were in first year." Molly said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"WHAT!" Everyone shouted.

"I declare that marriage void, the Potter family has never and will never be married like that we marry for love and I can tell you now, that my daughter will never be forced to marry someone she doesn't love and me and Lily were going to ask this in the break but it can't wait." James said he was fuming that anyone would treat his baby girl like that. He looked over to his wife to continue.

"James and I have reason to believe that Aph has found her Soul mate in Oliver as all the signs are there." Lily said.

"We are." Oliver said, everyone turned to look at him. "We are Soul mates but it's early on I think, we found out last year well Aph and Hermione did as I could feel when she was hurt or upset and she could feel the same for me. I noticed feelings for Aph when she was in first year but I thought they were just a brother sister love but as time went on I knew it was more than that I admitted that I loved her when she was in third yea my seventh year apparently is obvious to her friends and mine but I didn't ask her out until the summer before her forth year." Oliver said.

"It was obvious," Draco said. "Everyone could see in third year that you and Aph loved each other but neither of you did anything about it."

"Well now that's settled no one can separate you now. The marriage contract will be void and no potions or spells to get either of you to love another will work and during in the break we will find out how far you two are in the bond okay and we won't let anyone separate you as it will cause you unimaginable pain if you're forced to love another or you will just become depressed if you can't be with your Soul mate, the other part of you" Remus said.

"Thank you Remmy." Aphrodite smiled at her Uncle happy people will be there for her and that her parents and Sirius and Remus weren't angry about the bond.

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. "Hogwarts, clear?" she said, when Aphrodite started to speak. "Got the lot here – a young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

"It's Dray." Aphrodite smiled at her friend.

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Aphrodite on a stool next to him and slipped a long robe over her head, and began to pin it to the right length. "Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"**

**"Yes," said Aphrodite.**

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice."Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."Aphrodite was strongly reminded of Dudley **_**but as he spoke of his father she could see anger and sadness in his eyes.**__  
_  
Aphrodite winced, "Sorry Dray."

"It's alright Aph I was a Prat back then and I'm sorry for what I did and said and I'm glad I have you and 'Mione to help me and Neville once you told him." Draco said.

"Well if Aph and Mione had forgiven you and given you a second chance and they're my best friends I also chose to give you a second chance and I'm glad I did. You're my best friend as well and I have never regretted given you a second chance now that you don't let your father control you" Neville smiled. Draco smiled back happy they had accepted him.

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.**

**"No," said Aphrodite.**

**"Play Quidditch at all?" **

**"No," Aphrodite said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

**"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree.**

Draco winced at how stuck up he sounded. "Dray we have forgiven you its all done and buried now. You've changed and have become my best friend and that's all that matters to me." Aphrodite said.

**Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

**"No," said Aphrodite, feeling more stupid by the minute. "Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"  
**  
"There is nothing wrong with Hufflepuff." Tonks and Ted huffed.

"Sorry, it's what my father taught me I don't think that anymore thanks to Aph and Mione. I never wanted to either but I was scared of him." Draco said with his head down.

"It's alright son, like what Aph said you've changed for the better and that's what matters. But if you hurt my niece I won't think twice about hexing you, I'll let what happened in the past slide as she has forgiven you but if you hurt my niece again you won't like the consequences?" Ted asked, Draco nodded his head and Ted smiled reassuringly at him.

**"Mmm," said Aphrodite, wishing she could say something a bit more interesting.**

**"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Aphrodite and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.**

"That's nice." Hermione smiled.

**"That's Hagrid," said Aphrodite, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."**

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

**"He's the gamekeeper," said Aphrodite. She was liking the boy less and less every second **_**even if there was some sadness in his eyes there was no reason for him to act like a complete jerk.**_

"No Aph," Draco cut her off before she could apologise. "You were right there was no reason for me to act like that even if I was scared of father, I should of been who I wanted to be not who he wanted me to be you helped me and became my friend even after all I've done to you, so you don't need to apologise for anything."

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

**"I think he's brilliant," said Aphrodite coldly.**

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?" "They're dead," said Aphrodite shortly. She didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

**"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all.**

"I really was sorry." Draco said.

"I know and it's forgiven and nobody is allowed to judge Draco on what he does and says he has apologised to me, Hermione, Nev, Fred and George and we have accepted it he tried to apologise to Ron but Ron wouldn't accept it." Aphrodite told the room.

**"But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same; they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"**

"I was brought up as a Muggle shouldn't I be let in Dray." Aphrodite teased.

"Oh shut up you unless you want me to tickle you." Draco warned teasingly.

"You wouldn't" Aphrodite said looking at him with wide eyes.

"Oh but I would and you know it." Draco said with a smirk.

"Are you ticklish Love?" Oliver said with a mischievous look on his face. Aphrodite seeing the look groaned. "Thanks a lot Dray."

"You're welcome." Draco smirked at them pair.

**But before Aphrodite could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Aphrodite not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool. ****"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.  
**  
"To bad that's true." Ron mumbled. Aphrodite heard him and glared at him.

**Aphrodite was rather quiet as she ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought her (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). ****"What's up?" said Hagrid.**

**"Nothing," Aphrodite lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Aphrodite cheered up a bit when she found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote.**

"It does seem to only take the simplest things to make you happy." Oliver chuckled.

"That's because material things are not what's important." Aphrodite said.

"I know and that's what makes you so special." Oliver said with a kiss to her head.

**When they had left the shop, she said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

**"Blimey, Aphrodite, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowin' about Quidditch!"**

**"Don't make me feel worse," said Aphrodite. She told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. "-and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in."  
**  
**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were - he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk.**

Aphrodite seemed lost in thought for a moment as she remembered that there was a marriage contract between her and Ron and the thought that people she trusted would just use her like that made her feel worse than she did when the Dursleys treated her like that she thought they had actually cared about her. But it seemed they only cared about her fame and money and not her as a person. She couldn't help the few angry and betrayed tears that started running down her face.

Oliver saw them and immediately grew concerned and wiped the tears off of her face. "Hey what's the matter Love?" he whispered into her ear.

"I thought they cared about me but all they seemed to care about was the fame and the money." Aphrodite whispered back as a few more tears ran down her face. Oliver pulled her closer to him if that were possible and wiped her teas away, "It doesn't matter about them Love, I know what they've done is horrible but I will always be here for you and I will never let anyone treat you like that again and I certainly will **Never **treat you like that." Oliver said he then kissed her on the lips that made her relax into the kiss and wrap her arms around his neck. Oliver always seemed to make her feel better. Once they broke apart, Aphrodite snuggled into his chest and Oliver wrapped his arms firmly around her too small waist.

**You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles - look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"**

"Exactly right Hagrid." Sirius nodded.

**"So what is Quidditch?"**

**"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like - like soccer in the Muggle World- everyone follows Quidditch – played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

**"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but -"**

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" said Aphrodite gloomily.**

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."  
**  
"That's not true there's a Gryffindor that have gone bad too. And LockHeart and Quirrell were in Ravenclaw." Aphrodite said bitterly as everyone looked shocked at her as they had never heard her sound so bitter.

**You-Know-Who was one." "Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"**

**"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid. They bought Aphrodite's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. **_**Aphrodite ended up buying her school books and then some. She bought extra books for all of the subjects and some on Magical Creatures which she found very interesting.**_**  
**  
"Well she is Lily's daughter." Sirius chuckled.

"And proud of it." Aphrodite stuck her tongue out.

"And that's James." Remus said with a chuckle.

Both of her parents turned and smiled proudly at her and she smiled back at them.

**Hagrid wouldn't let Aphrodite buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"),**

"That's because Gold can only be used for high level potions." Snape said.

"Oh so now you want to teach us, but when we get in class you won't teach us a thing, instead you just like to spend your whole lesson bullying people." Aphrodite scowled.

"Miss. Potter you will not talk to me that way," Snape snarled.

"Oh yeah watch me." She snapped back.

"Miss. Potter, Severus that is enough." Dumbledore held up his hand.

**But they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Aphrodite, Aphrodite herself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

"Wow you were actually interested in potions." Percy was surprised.

"Yeah she was unrtil she met Snape." Oliver said glaring at Snape, Lily looked at her ex-friend angry and disappointed for how he was treating her daughter.

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Aphrodite's list again. "Just yer wand left – yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present." Aphrodite felt herself go red.**

**"You don't have to -"**

**"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at-  
**  
"Evil toad." Neville grumbled well naturedly, while his friends laughed and his parents looked on confused.

**- An' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze.** **I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls; they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."**

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeyelops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Aphrodite now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.**

"She really is Beautiful." Hermione said. Just then Hedwig flew in and landed on Aphrodite's knee and hooted in a dignified sort of way which made Aphrodite laugh and start stoking her with her right hand, while her left continued to stroke PadMoon.

**She couldn't stop stammering her thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. "Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys.**

"Of course not." Oliver snarled.

**Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand." A magic wand... this was what Aphrodite had been really looking forward to.**

"Everyone does." Remus smiled thinking about the wand he got and how it was even more important because he had thought he'd never get one.

_**Just as they were walking towards Ollivanders they passed a shop called 'Magical Mengerie' Aphrodite caught site of a cute little black puppy through the window. "Hagrid can we go in there please?" Hagrid didn't look too pleased but he nodded his head. They entered the store and Aphrodite ran towards the puppy. Picking the little thing up, Aphrodite snuggled the puppy into her. "You're so beautiful." Aphrodite breathed she didn't know why but she had a strong attachment to it. She walked towards the lady at the cash register.**_

_**"Excuse me, Ma'me how much is this puppy?" the lady looked up.**_

_**"Are you sure you want him as he's a Grimm puppy, and he's the runt of the litter and he's the smallest I've ever seen." The lady asked**__**.**_

"_**Yes, he's cute and I don't know it's weird to explain it feels as if I've got a weird but strong attachment to him." Aphrodite explained confused.**_

"_**Ah, he would be your Familiar then dearie." The lady explained.**_

"_**What's a Familiar?" Aphrodite asked confused.**_

"_**A Familiar is animals, which some people call animal-shaped spirits that serve a witch or a wizard in various ways, whether as servants, messengers or even spies. The witch or wizard will have a very tight bond with their familiar and the familiar will always know when their bonded person is in trouble but this is more commonly known to the Traditional Familiar." The woman explained. "And if you want him that will be four Galleons please."**_

"Wow that's one expensive puppy, though he is a Grimm so it is understandable." Remus said.

_**"I'll take him and everything he needs. Ten minutes later Aphrodite and Hagrid walked out with f the shop with the puppy and all of the stuff a puppy would need.**_

_**"Yer know Aphrodite." Hagrid said as they were walking to Ollivanders, "It is unusual for a girl yer age to have a familiar but its no' nothin' ter worr' 'bout." Hagrid explained to Aphrodite's worried look. "When I get back ter Hogwarts I'll let ter teachers know fer yer."**_

"_**Thank you Hagrid." Aphrodite said gratefully as she gave him the biggest smile he had yet to see on her.**_

"_**Don' worry 'bout it."**_

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Aphrodite felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.  
**  
"Wow." Kingsley breathed. "You could feel that."

"Yeah." Aphrodite nodded.

"Miss. Potter that is amazing you are more powerful than even I thought." Albus gave her a look that she didn't like the look of it made her feel uneasy.

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Aphrodite jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

"I was rather curious when I noticed the pile of what looked like firewood when I went" remarked Hermione.

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. "Hello," said Aphrodite awkwardly.**

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Aphrodite Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your Mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. A wand Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.**

**Mr Ollivander moved closer to Aphrodite. Aphrodite wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. "Your Father on the other hand, favoured a wand Eleven inches, Pliable, A little more power and excellent for Transfiguration."**

**Well, I say your father favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Aphrodite was almost nose to could see herself reflected in those misty eyes. "And that's where..." Mr Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Aphrodite's forehead with a long, white finger.  
**  
Oliver growled and held Aphrodite tighter.

**"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands...  
**  
Aphrodite's breath became shorter as she realized what would be revealed in this chapter. Oliver looked at her concerned and started rubbing her arm trying to calm her down.

**Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..." He shook his head and then, to Aphrodite's relief, spotted Hagrid. "Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

**"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr Ollivander sharply**

**. "Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid, Aphrodite noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

Everyone in the room snorted.

**"Hmmm," said Mr Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now – Miss. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"  
**  
**"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Aphrodite.**

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Aphrodite from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."**

"Mum do you know why he does that?" Aphrodite asked it had always bothered her, but she didn't feel comfortable asking anyone else.

"No sorry Sweetie I don't." Lily said.

**Aphrodite suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between her nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Miss. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Aphrodite took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.**

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -" Aphrodite tried - but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander. "No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out." Aphrodite tried. And tried. She had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair,**

"Aph how many did you try?" James asked looking very excited.

"I think nearly 200." Aphrodite said.

"What?" Oliver was shocked. "I tried twenty."

"I tried about 9 said Hermione.

Everyone gave a similar answer apart from.

"I tried 190." Dumbledore said. "The more powerful a wizard the harder to find a wand."

"Mum, dad how many wands did you two try." Aphrodite said starting to get worried.

"Its nothing to worry about Sweetie your father and I tried fifty-six wands each." Lily said reassuringly to her daughter.

"You beat Dumbledore!" James cheered, making Aph laugh and effectively calming her down. He was so proud of his daughter that words couldn't explain how he was feeling so he just got up and kissed his daughter's forehead and giving her a hug before sitting back down.

Everyone was gaping at the Potter's shocked at how much power they had.

**But the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become. "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." Aphrodite took the wand. She felt sudden warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework,**

"Gryffindor." All past and present Gryffindor's cheered.

**Throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."**

"What?" Sirius asked.

**He put Aphrodite's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..." "**

**Sorry," said Aphrodite, "but what's curious?**

**Mr Ollivander fixed Aphrodite with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Miss. Potter. Every, single, wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather **_**resides**_** in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave you that scar."**

"Aph why didn't you ever say anything." Hermione asked.

"Yeah that would be an interesting conversation. Oliver and Siri know though."

"Why?"

"Because." Aphrodite thought about the conversation she had with Oliver after the grave yard, she was happy that he didn't judge her but then she remembered that he said he would love no matter what. She shivered at the single thought of the Grave Yard. Oliver held her closely as he felt her shiver and knew she was thinking of the Grave Yard.

**Aphrodite swallowed. "Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Miss. Potter... After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great." Aphrodite shivered. She wasn't sure she liked Mr Ollivander too much.**

"He's ok just a bit eccentric." Tonks giggled.

**She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand, and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop. The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Aphrodite and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Aphrodite didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; she didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, **_**with the snowy owl asleep in its cage beside her and the puppy asleep on her lap.**_

"Well that would be surprising." Hermione reasoned.

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Aphrodite only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped her on the shoulder. "Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said. He bought Aphrodite a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Aphrodite kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow. "You all right, Aphrodite? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. Aphrodite wasn't sure she could explain. She'd just had the best day of her life - and yet - she chewed her hamburger, trying to find the words.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," she said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night my parents died." Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

"Oh Sweetie, its okay. Just be yourself." Lily said smiling sadly at her baby.

**"Don' you worry, Aphrodite. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact." Hagrid helped Aphrodite on to the train that would take her back to the Dursleys then handed her an envelope. "Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Aphrodite.**

"He didn't tell you how to get on." Andy glared over at Albus.

"Don't worry Aunt Andy I get on just fine." Aphrodite said smiling over at Fred and George who smiled back at her.

**The train pulled out of the station. Aphrodite wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; she rose in her seat and pressed her nose against the window, but she blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"That's the end of the chapter who wants to read next?" James asked.

"I will." Lily said as James passed the book to his wife.

**"Chapter 6 platform 9 and ¾."** Lily read.


	7. Chapter 7: Platform 9 and three quarters

Chapter Seven:

"**Chapter Six The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."** Lily read.

"Yeah you're finally off to Hogwarts" Sirius cheered.

But how do you get there?" Tonks asked.

"You'll see Aphrodite smiled.

**Aphrodite's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Aphrodite he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Aphrodite in her cupboard, force her to do anything, or shout at her— in fact, they didn't speak to her at all. ****Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Aphrodite in it were empty. Though it did become quite depressing after awhile.**

"I bet it did?" Charlie muttered under his breath.

_**Aphrodite kept to her room trying to stay as quite as possible in case the Dursley's heard and started to take notice of her again. Being ignored was much better than being used as a punching bag and with her new owl and puppy to keep her company this was one of her best summers yet, and Aunt Petunia hadn't even made her do any chores it was like Christmas had come early. She had decided to call the owl Hedwig, a name she had found in A History of Magic.**_

"You read it." Fred and George exclaimed identical looks of betrayal on both their faces.

"Of course I did." Aphrodite laughed at the look on her friends face.

_**She named the puppy PadMoon just because she really loved that name and she had a feeling that she had heard something similar before. Aphrodite softly petted PadMoon's silky fur with the tips of her fingers as she watched Hedwig fly through her open window another mouse clutched between her talons as she thought of all she had read before it had gotten too dark. Her schoolbooks were very interesting.**_

Severus's head shot up as he remembered how Lily would spend most of her time with a book in hand. Maybe the young Potter wasn't so much like her father as he believed.

_**She lay on her bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. PadMoon liked to curl up at her side whilst she read. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.**_

Tonks, Narcissa and Andy all cringed at the very thought.

**Every night before she went to sleep, Aphrodite ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.  
**  
"I did that too." Sirius said as he remembered his own childhood at Grimmauld Place.

"Me too." Remus nodded.

**On the last day of August she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day.**

"You waited until the last moment." Percy was aghast.

"Of course." Aphrodite replied like it was the most logical thing to do.

"Why did you wait so long?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Well, they were all ready going to London and if I asked closer to the day Uncle Vernon would have less time to change his mind." She said with a shrug.

There were many growls throughout the room as Aphrodite's uncle was mentioned.

**So she went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. She cleared her throat to let them know she was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.  
**  
The Weasley twins cracked up and fell all over themselves as they fell off their seats landing in a heap on the floor. Many laughed at their expense.

Sighing Aphrodite got up from her seat and helped the twins to get free from each other's limbs.

**"Er — Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

**"Er — I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

**Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

**"Grunt."**

**Aphrodite supposed that meant yes.**

"I didn't know your uncle was a troll." Fred said.

**"Thank you." She was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

"Oh my he speaks." George snickered.

**"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"** **Aphrodite didn't say anything.**

"No, they're illegal." Kingsley spoke in his deep voice startling many as they forgot he was there.

"I wish I could ride a magic carpet." James mumbled under his breath.

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

**"I don't know," said Aphrodite realising this for the first time. She pulled the ticket Hagrid had given her out of her pocket. "I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read.**

**Her aunt and uncle stared.**

"Tuney should know how to get to the platform." Severus muttered under his breath whilst trying not to show how much he loathed the horse like woman. Everyone close enough to hear him looked at him strangely which he returned with his trade mark death glare.

**"Platform what?"**

**"Nine and three-quarters."**

**"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Yes there is." Snape snapped as he tried to rein in his anger. "And again Tuney knows that."

Aphrodite watched wide eyed. Was Severus Snape the man who hated her actually trying to defend her?

**"It's on my ticket."**

**"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross-. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

**"Why are you going to London?" Aphrodite asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

"I don't know why you bother really.' James muttered under his breath but still loud enough for Lily to hear who was sitting next to him earning him a slap on the arm.

**"Have to get rid of that Tail don't we." Uncle Vernon grunted and Aphrodite had to stop herself from giggling.  
**  
Most of those in the room laughed.

**Aphrodite woke up at five o'clock the next morning.**

"That's a bit early isn't it?" Sirius asked. Aphrodite just shrugged with a sheepish smile on her face and snuggled into Oliver trying to stifle a yawn.

**And was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and pulled on her jeans because she didn't want to walk into the station in her wizards' robes she'd just change on the train.  
**  
"Good thinking." Moody grunted.

**She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage **_**and that PadMoon was sitting comfortably in her trouser pocket. Then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. **_**Two hours later, Aphrodite's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Aphrodite, and they had set off. They reached King's Cross Station at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Aphrodite's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for her.**

"Ok what's the catch?" Sirius asked.

**Aphrodite thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face. "Well, there you are, girl Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

All of a sudden a loud grinding noise filled the room. Everyone looked over at Snape who looked quite murderous and quickly looked away again in case he levelled one of his glares of death at them again.

**He was quite right. There was a huge big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle nothing at all.**

"Magic." Fred and George whispered.

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Aphrodite turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. Aphrodite's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was she going to do?**

"They left you on the platform!" McGonagall shrieked her lips pinched together in a thin line.

**She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. She'd have to ask someone.** **She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters.**

Moody nodded in approval.

**The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Aphrodite couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Aphrodite was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Aphrodite asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one.**

"We really should have someone outside the platform to help the Muggleborns." Lily said causing Professor McGonagall to look at her.

"Mrs Potter that is a very reasonable idea." McGonagall said with a slight smile as she transfigured some parchment and a quill to take down some notes.

**In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Aphrodite was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and she had no idea how to do it; she was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, a large owl **_**and a mini Grimm. **_**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell her something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. She wondered if she should get out her wand and starts tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind her and she caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"- Packed with Muggles, of course -"**

**Aphrodite swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair.**

"It's us!" The Weasley twins cheered.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Aphrodite in front of him - and they had an owl.**

"Well I guess that is a good indicator." Hermione nodded.

**Heart hammering, Aphrodite pushed her cart after them. They stopped and so did she, just near enough to hear what they were saying.  
**  
"Sneaky, I am proud to call you my goddaughter." Sirius smiled.

"Thank you."

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

"You didn't know the platform number?" Draco asked bewildered.

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also redheaded.**

"Aw look its Gin-Gin." George cooed.

"Stop it George." Ginny fingered her wand.

**Who was holding her hand, "Mum, can't I go . . ."**

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

**What looked like the oldest boy marched forward toward platforms nine and ten. Aphrodite watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it - but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

"Oh, that's just bad luck." Sirius groaned.

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell us apart?"**

**"Sorry, George, dear."**

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went.**

**Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier - he was almost there - and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anymore.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

**"Excuse me," Aphrodite said to the plump woman.**

**"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts?" Ron's new, too."**

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons.**

**"He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.  
**  
"Aww, poor Ronnikins has a long nose." The twins teased.

**"Yes," said Aphrodite. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to -"**

**"How to get on the platform?" she said kindly and Aphrodite nodded.**

"Thank you Molly for helping our daughter get onto the platform." Lily said.

Molly waved away the thanks "It was no issue."

**"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it. That's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

**"Er - okay" said Aphrodite. Not at all sure if she should trust this woman but hey the barrier to Diagon Ally had opened.**

**She started to walk toward it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. Aphrodite walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that barrier and then she'd be in trouble - leaning forward on her cart, she broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - she wouldn't be able to stop - the cart was out of control - she was a foot away - she closed her eyes ready for the crash but It didn't come . . . ****She kept on running . . . she opened her eyes. ****A scarlet engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Aphrodite looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. She had done it.  
**  
"Yes." the twins cheered.

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. ****The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. ****Aphrodite pushed her cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

"It's Nev." Aphrodite cheered for her friend.

**"Oh, N****eville," he heard the old woman sigh.  
**  
**A small crowd surrounded a boy with dreadlocks.**

**"Give as a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid off a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.  
**  
Ron shivered and looked like he was going to be sick.

**Aphrodite pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train.  
**  
"Lucky." Tonks mumbled.

**She put Hedwig and PadMoon inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk toward the train door. She tried to life it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot.  
**  
"Were you okay baby?" Oliver asked concerned.

"I was fine Ollie don't worry." Aphrodite replied.

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.**

**"Yes, please," Aphrodite panted.**

**"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" With the twins' help, Aphrodite's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

"Thank you." Lily beamed at the twins.

**"Thanks," said Aphrodite pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes.**

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Aphrodite's lightning scar.**

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you" **

**"She is," said the first twin. **

**"Aren't you?" he added to Aphrodite.**

**"What?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Aphrodite Potter "chorused the twins.**

**"Oh, her," said Aphrodite**

"Oh her." Draco chuckled. "Really."

"Shut it Dray." Aphrodite grumbled. "Hardly anyone called me by my name."

"It's alright Love I understand." Oliver kissing her nose which made her giggle.

Her parents, friends, Sirius, Remus, Arthur and McGonagall smiled they had never seen her so happy and they were glad that Oliver makes her this happy.

**"I mean, yes, I am." The two boys gawked at her, and Aphrodite felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

**"Fred? George? Are you there?"**

**"Coming, Mum. "With a last look at Aphrodite the twins hopped off the train. Aphrodite sat down next to the window _with PadMoon in her lap as she ran her fingers through his fur._ Where half hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.  
**  
"Aph are you eavesdropping?" Sirius asked seriously for a change.

"Erm... Yes." Aphrodite answered slowly.

"I'm so proud." Sirius cheered making Aphrodite laugh.

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. "Ron, you've got something on your nose." The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. ****"Mum - geroff" He wriggled free.**

**"Aaah has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.**

**"Shut up," said Ron.**

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

**"He's coming now." The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Aphrodite noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it. ****"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -"**

**"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea." "Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once -"**

**"Or twice -"**

**"A minute -"**

**"All summer -"  
**  
'I love you guys." James said.

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

"Percy-" "the-" "prefect!" yelled Fred and George "how come we never thought of that!?"

"Because Aph is awesome she always comes up with things like that in private." Oliver said fondly.

"Yeah and you would know all about that wouldn't you Ollie pop." Fred and George said together while waggling their eyebrows at the now deeply blushing pair.

"And what is that supposed to mean." growled James.

"Nothing dad." Aphrodite said quickly giving the twins a sharp look.

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

**"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly.**

"And that is no reason to spoil and fuss over one child and then rub it in the other children's faces." snapped Lily, Alice, Andy and Narcissa all disgusted at Molly's parenting skills.

**"All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there." She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins. "Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or -"  
**  
"You don't give Prankster's Idea's." McGonagall groaned.

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." "Great idea though, thanks, Mum."**

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

**"Don't worry; ickle Ronnikins is safe with us."**

**"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

**"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" Ivy leaned back quickly so they couldn't see her looking. "You know that black haired girl who was near us in the station? Know who she is?"**

**"Who?"**

**"Aphrodite Potter!" Aphrodite heard the little girl's voice. "Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see her, Mum, eh please..."  
**  
A few people started to snicker but Ginny was fingering her wand.

**"You've already seen her Ginny, and the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really, Fred? How do you know?"**

**"Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there - like lightning."**

**"Poor dear - no wonder she was alone, I wondered. She was ever so polite when she asked how to get onto the platform."**

**"Never mind that, do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

**Their mother suddenly became very stern. "I forbid you to ask her Fred. No, don't you dare. As though she needs reminding of that on her first day at school."  
**  
"You better not have asked her that. Any of you." Lily growled glaring at the three youngest Weasley boys.

"Don't worry mum Fred and George have more sense and tact than that and they have never hurt me." Aphrodite reassured her mum. Everyone noticed how she didn't mention Ron and turned to glare at him all safe his mother and sister.

**"All right, keep your hair on." A whistle sounded. ****"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.**

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." "We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."**

"Never got that either." She grumbled.

"It actually went to me but it got confiscated." Aphrodite said as Ginny turned to glare at her. "But," continued Aphrodite. "Thanks for the thought guys it really cheered me up."

"Ah man." The twins pouted. "But we're glad it cheered you up that was the whole idea of it."

"What!" screeched Mrs Weasley. "Why would you give her that to cheer her up you two obviously don't know her at all."

"Actually, Mrs Weasley it's you who doesn't know me as that did cheer me up and I'm a lot like Fred and George than people think but only when I needed to be, so yes they did know me and I would appreciate it if you didn't question are friendship." Aphrodite replied as politely ad she could. While her father and Sirius cheered that she was a prankster after all. While McGonagall paled as this information.

**"George!"**

"That was Fred Mrs Weasley." Aphrodite said.

"You mean you can tell them apart that's...how do you do it then?" Mrs Weasley grumbled.

"Mum Aph's always has been able to tell us apart." Fred said.

"But how?" She asked getting annoyed that she could tell her sons apart when she couldn't.

"Well Fred is a little bit taller and his hair is darker while George has more rounded shoulders and his eyes are lighter and their personalities are different as well." Aphrodite explained kindly, now that was pointed out to everyone they could see the differences between Fred and George and realised it's quite obvious.

**"Only joking, Mum." The train began to move. Aphrodite saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. Aphrodite watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. ****Houses flashed past the window. Aphrodite felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know what she was going to but it had to be better than what she was leaving behind. The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in. "Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Aphrodite. "Everywhere else is full."**

**Aphrodite shook her head **_**still stoking PadMoon's head**_** and the boy sat down. He glanced at Aphrodite and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Aphrodite saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron shouted.

"How many people told you about it and yet you still didn't do anything about it." Aphrodite snapped.

**The twins came into the compartment. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."**

Ron shuddered again.

**"Right," mumbled Ron.**

**"Aphrodite." said the other twin, "We're Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

**"Bye," said Aphrodite and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

**"Are you really Aphrodite Potter?" Ron blurted out. Aphrodite nodded.**

**"Oh - well, I thought it might have been one of Fred's and George's jokes." said Ron. "And have you really got - you know . . ."He pointed at Aphrodite's forehead.**

"Ronald." Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

**Aphrodite pulled back her bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. "So that' where You-Know-Who -"**

**"Yes," said Aphrodite "but I can't remember it."**

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

"I thought you Mother told you not to ask her." Oliver snarled clutching Aphrodite tighter to him.

**"Well - I remember a lot of green light **_**and this cold cruel laugh**_**, but nothing else."**

People around the room cringed.

**"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Aphrodite for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

A few snickers could be heard throughout the room.

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked Aphrodite, who found Ron as interesting as Ron found her. **_**She held PadMoon to her chest so she could give him a cuddle and make sure he was okay as he was still very small, and she was a bit worried but he liked to run around a lot and seemed to have tons of energy so her fears lessened even if by a little bit.**_

Everyone smiled at the love Aphrodite showed PadMoon and Hedwig.

_**Ron then spotted PadMoon who had just licked Aphrodite's cheek making her giggle. "That's a Grimm why do you have a Grimm; they're death omens you know."**_

_**Aphrodite glared at him, "PadMoon is not a death omen, the lady in the shop said he is my familiar that's why I have him and Hedwig my snowy owl." Aphrodite pointed to the owl on the seat next to her as she put her fingers through the bars to stoke her. Hedwig gave a happy chirp then turned to glare at Ron. "And I would appreciate it if you weren't mean about PadMoon as he and I have done nothing to you." She snapped, she felt stinging in the corners of her eyes and angrily wiped them away Ron was reminding her of the Dursleys a little bit the way they always put her down all the time.**_

Everyone glared at Ron for making her cry and for making her feel how the Dursleys treat her.

"It's okay baby, Ron was just being a git. You don't need to worry about that anymore as you have me, the twins, Mione, Nev and Draco." Oliver said kissing Aphrodite's hair.

_**Ron seemed to notice he had said the wrong thing and tried to change the subject. "Er sorry its just that they're a death omen that's what everybody says anyway and to answer your earlier question**_- **yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

_**Aphrodite smiled at the attempt to be friends and silently forgave him.**_**"So you must know loads of magic already."**

"You are too forgiving for you own good, you know." Nev smiled at his best friend.

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

**"Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left. Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good grades and everyone thinks they're really funny.  
**  
"Oh, Ron." Molly sighed.

**Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."  
**  
Most of the room looked angered over the rat. McGonagall spoke up. "You do know a wand doesn't work right for someone unless it chooses them."

Molly and Arthur looked down ashamed and Neville looked at his own wand the one that belonged to his father and wondered if that was his issue.

**Ron reached into his pocket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.  
**  
Growls could be heard emanating from around the room.

**"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly every wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being a Prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead." Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. Aphrodite didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, she'd never had any money in her life until month ago, and she told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

"How dare you! What sort of person are you? What person in their right mind is cheered up on the fact that in that simple statement she is telling you she is abused?" Andy shouted.

"Well I was always told she was a spoiled Princess and got everything she wanted, and she has all that money and she had an owl and a Grimm with her so she wasn't that bad off in fact she's richer than the Malfoys'." Ron raged.

"That is not the point she confided in you that she was abused and you should have told a teacher. For anybody else that would of raised alarm bells and gone straight to a teacher but you just smiled and it made you happy have you any idea what you had done. You are the reason she didn't tell anyone you made her feel that nobody would care because you didn't care." Andy shouted.

**"... And until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort -"**

**Ron gasped.**

**"What?" said Aphrodite.**

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed.**

**"I'd have thought you, of all people -"**

"Yes but she grew up in a Muggle house she's she was more likely to not be scared of it." Hermione pointed out.

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the same," said Aphrodite, "I just know you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet," she added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her, a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

"Hardly." Neville scoffed.

"Yeah you and Hermione are top of our year." Draco said.

"Actually, Aph has beaten me on a few tests and she always beats me in DADA." Hermione said making Aphrodite blush.

**"You won't be. There are loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quickly enough."  
**  
"Or they read all the text books and more." Neville snickered at his two best friends.

"Just like Lily." James said proudly.

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"**

**Aphrodite, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to her feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Aphrodite went out into the corridor. She had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that she had pockets rattling with gold and silver she was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as she could carry, **_**even if she didn't like sweets that much at least it would be better than nothing.**_** But the woman didn't have any Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans... and many other odd treats.** **Not wanting to miss anything, she got some of everything and paid the woman eleven sliver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

"Wow that's a lot of Candy." Tonks said.

"Well yes but, I was really hungry as I wasn... I mean there wasn't time for breakfast." Aphrodite amended quickly, though not quickly enough as everybody caught what she had said and glared at the book.

**Ron stared as Aphrodite brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat. "Hungry, are you?"**

**"Starving," said Aphrodite taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it there were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."**

"Oh Ron I'm sorry." Mrs. Weasley said to her youngest son.

**"Swap you for one of these," said Aphrodite, holding up a pasty. "Go on -"**

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

**"Go one, have a pasty," said Aphrodite who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with.**

"That's how you two became friends.' Hermione laughed.

"And that's James." Sirius laughed.

**It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron; eating their way through all Aphrodite's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

"Good." Neville wrinkled his nose.

**"What are these?" Aphrodite asked Ron holding up the pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs are they?" She was starting to feel that nothing would surprise her. ****"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."**

"Wow you must have a big collection." Kingsley said.

"Yeah." Ron nodded.

**"What?"**

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven' got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

"I have both of them." Oliver said.

"Well of course you do babe, you're nearly as bad as Remus with your chocolate." Aphrodite said as she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

**Aphrodite unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. "So this is Dumbledore!" said Aphrodite.**

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks -"**

**Aphrodite turned over the card and read:**

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts**

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times,**

**Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945,**

**His work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel and for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood.**

The trio groaned at being reminded that the answer had been there the whole time.

**Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

**Aphrodite turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared. "He's gone!"**

**"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her . . . do you want it? You can start collecting."**

**"Help yourself," said Aphrodite as she noticed Ron looking at the rest of the chocolate frogs. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"**

**Aphrodite stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on the card and gave her a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Aphrodite couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she didn't just have Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Helga Hufflepuff, Paracelsus, and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose.**

"Those are a really good start to your collection Love." Oliver smiled.

"You mean OUR collection." Aphrodite corrected with a smile.

"What do you mean 'OUR' collection, Aph?" Ted asked.

"Well, Uncle Ted me and Olive share our collection, so we have a really big collection with a lot of doubles but we give them to Dray, Nev, Gred and Forge. We would give them to Mione too but she doesn't collect them, she eats the frogs and gives the cards to us." Aphrodite answered her Uncle. Ted nodded his understanding and smiled at his niece.

**To open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.**

"Oh no watch out." Alice warned.

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Aphrodite. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once."**

"I did." George nodded.

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner. "Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts."  
**  
"Bad luck." Sirius snickered.

**Aphrodite got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.  
**  
"That's lucky." Frank commented.

"Yeah, Aph's luck seems to only last with them other times her luck is horrible." Neville said, while Aphrodite stuck her tongue out at him.

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Aphrodite had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful. "Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"  
**  
"And this isn't the last time this will happen." Aphrodite looked over at her friend.

'Trevor is just a crazy, evil toad." Neville shook his head.

**When they shook their heads he wailed, "He keeps getting away from me."**

**"Don't worry I'm sure he'll turn up," said Aphrodite.**

"You're so kind Aph, I'm glad my son has you as a friend." Alice smiled at the now blushing girl.

"Thank you. I wanted to help look but Nev had already left and I didn't know where he went." Aphrodite said.

"It's alright Aph I understand." Neville smiled at his friend.

**Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…" He left.**

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. **_**Aphrodite glared at him, which made Ron shrink back from the ferociousness of the glare. "There is no need to be so mean about him having a toad, as there's nothing wrong with having a toad. I don't understand why your being so mean about the type of pets people have, first you was mean to me because I have a Grimm puppy and now your being mean to him because he had a toad he obviously cares about his toad as much as I care about PadMoon and Hedwig. So just stop being such a bully." Aphrodite shouted. **_**  
**

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust ignoring what Aphrodite had just said.**

"To bad he didn't." Draco scowled.

**"I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

**"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"**

"Well that's not safe." Minerva huffed, "how did I never notice that?"

"Don't worry professor I have a new one now." Ron pulled out his new wand and showed it to the room.

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toad less boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

"Hermione." The teenagers all said.

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

"What a lovely description." Hermione said sarcastically. Aphrodite smiled apologetically at her.

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

"Oh, I guess I was a bit full on wasn't I?" Hermione asked, while her friends nodded slowly.

"But that doesn't matter now Mione, we love you the way you are." Aphrodite smiled.

**"Er — all right."He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

"I can't believe he believed that." Fred snorted.

"I can't believe he actually tried it and in front of people." George snickered.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.**

**"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it?"  
**  
"Now that's just Rude Miss. Granger." Minerva was shocked.

"Yes I wasn't that pleasant in the beginning of the year." Hermione bowed her head.

"Don't worry she gets better." Neville assured the room.

**I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart."**

"Wow." Kingsley looked at the bushy haired girl. "And you're not in Ravenclaw why?

"I didn't belong there." Hermione said.

**"…Of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, and you are?"** **She said all this very fast.**

Lily had to take a few deep breathes to get her breathe back before continuing reading.

**Aphrodite looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.**

"Of course not this is Ron we're talking about." Fred reminded her.

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

**"Aphrodite Potter," said Aphrodite.**

**"Are you really?" said Hermione.**

"She knew you how in the world?" Sirius was perplexed.

**"I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."**

"Wow, how many extra books did you buy?" Remus asked.

"Less then Aphrodite." Hermione smirked.

**"Am I?" said Aphrodite, feeling dazed she'd bought the books but hadn't gotten to them yet.**

**"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was I," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor; it sounds by far the best;**

"It is." Sirius nodded his head vigorously.

**I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And she left, taking the toad less boy with her.**

"Sorry Nev." Aphrodite apologised.

"It's fine Aph, don't worry." Neville said

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.**

"Ron!" Bill shouted. "How can you sit there and just be so horrible to people especially people who are meant to be your friends even if they weren't your friend at the time." He was disgusted by the way

Hermione blushed at the fact Bill was defending her. She then caught Aphrodite's eye and saw her raise an eyebrow with a look that said 'will talk later'. Hermione just nodded her head in reply.

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."**

"Of course it was," George's eyes sparkled.

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked Aphrodite.**

**"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."**

"We would love you either way." Molly told him.

"Though we would prank you even worse." Fred said jokingly

**"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Aphrodite, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.  
**  
"What a good friend." Tonks said.

**"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" Aphrodite was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.  
**  
Molly sniffed at the mention of Charlie's job which she still found horrific.

**"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over The Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."**

"Did they ever figure out who did that?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah it's at the end of the book." Aphrodite said rubbing her neck again and making Oliver more concerned he couldn't wait for the break so he could find out what was troubling her.

**Aphrodite stared. "Really? What happened to them?"**

**"Nothing, that's why it's such big news, they haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

"Well they were right." Aphrodite whispered to low for most people to hear.

**Aphrodite turned this news over in her mind. She was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. She supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.**

"That's one of the reason's I say his name." Aphrodite said.

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

**"Er — I don't know any." Aphrodite confessed.**

"Puddle Mere United for Ollie." Aphrodite said.

**"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Aphrodite through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toad less boy or Hermione Granger this time. ****Three boys entered, and Aphrodite recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Aphrodite with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley. "Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Aphrodite Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

**"Yes," said Aphrodite. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. ****"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Aphrodite was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

"The names Bond, James Bond." Aphrodite said making Oliver, Ted, her Mother, Tonks and Hermione to burst out laughing.

"Muggle film." Oliver said through his laughter.

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.**

**"Think my name's funny, do you? No needs to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."  
**  
"I'm sorry." Draco said sincerely, all the Weasley's save three accepted his apology.

**He turned back to Aphrodite. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out his hand to shake Aphrodite's but Aphrodite didn't take it.**

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly.**

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.**

"I'm really, really, really sorry for what I say next it was way out of order and I will understand if you hex me or even punch me." Draco said.

**"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents –."**

"DRACO!" Narcissa shouted. "I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE APOLOGISED A THOUSAND TIMES. YOU NEVER, EVER SAY THAT TO ANYBODY. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"

"Yes Mother and I'm really sorry Aph, Mr & Mrs Potter." Draco said.

"As we can see how sorry you are and as you are friends with our daughter and it is clear she has forgiven you, we will let it slide what is said in the books until you become friends but if you EVER say or do anything to hurt my daughter again you will understand why the Potter's were originally Grey." James said, Draco nodded his head and Lily continued reading.

**"- They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff raff like the Weasley's and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you." Both Aphrodite and Ron stood up.**

**"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.**

**"Unless you get out now," said Aphrodite, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.**

**"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." ****Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle.  
**  
"The only good thing that stupid rat ever did." Aphrodite glared at the book.

**— Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

**"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Aphrodite. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."**

"Of course he did." Hermione muttered.

**And so he had. "You've met Malfoy before?" Aphrodite explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."**

Arthur went to apologise to Narcissa but she stopped him. "Arthur there is no need to apologise as it is true Lucius is right in Voldemort's Inner Circe and I don't want to be with him anymore, never have really I want to divorce him and I'm going to after the readings is over so don't apologise for saying the truth about him Arthur he made me and I don't want to be with a man like that anymore."

**He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

"Oh, Hermione." Lily shook her head, but there was a small smile on her face.

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

"Wait what about Aph." Oliver asked. "You better of left the compartment Ron or Merlin help me." Oliver growled.

"Babe, babe look at me please. You need to calm down babe we took turns using the compartment and I made him take the rat with him." Aphrodite said.

"Okay Love." Oliver said giving her a kiss.

"I'm glad that _rat _wasn't in there with you when you change otherwise I would hunt him down and kill him." Sirius growled. James and Remus didn't look much better either at thought of him being near her when she changed.

"Aph, how come PadMoon isn't growling at the rat? As he was always growling at the rat." Hermione asked confused.

"Apart from the time where he licked my face he was asleep in my arms as he was still really small and the rat wasn't out then so he didn't notice it." Aphrodite answered. Hermione nodded understanding.

**"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a snobby voice.  
**  
'And how you're friends I'll never know." Neville said remembering the beginning of first year.

"You'll find out." Aphrodite said mysteriously.

"You mean you never told Nev or Draco?" Oliver asked confused. "You always tell them as well as Hermione everything that's how they were the first to know I had asked you out."

"Well, you'll find out." Aphrodite answered.

"I hate it when you do that." Oliver pouted. Aphrodite kissed him to stop him pouting.

**Ron glared at her as she left. Aphrodite peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. She and Ron took off their jackets and took turns using the compartment to change. Ron's were a bit short for him; you could see his sneakers underneath them. ****A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."**

**Aphrodite's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor. Aphrodite put PadMoon inside her robe pocket, she didn't want to leave him on his own. ****The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Aphrodite shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Jane heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Aphrodite?"**

**"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" ****Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Aphrodite thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville sniffed once or twice the poor boy kept losing his toad.  
**  
"Oh Neville." Minerva sighed.

**"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!" ****The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

"It was truly amazing." Alice said.

**"No More'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Neville and Hermione followed Aphrodite and Ron into their boat. ****"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat of his own. "Right then — FORWARD!" ****And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. ****"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face.**

"See James, Sirius heads down not look up." Remus glared at his best friend and husband.

"What happened Uncle Remmy?" Aphrodite asked.

"Well, these two idiots were looking into the lake to see how deep it was apparently and when Hagrid shouted they looked up and Sirius actually stood up which made our boat capsize." Remus said. "And nothing smells worse than wet dog is wet wolf." Remus grumbled he then mock-glared at Aphrodite as she started to laugh but it was ruined by the smile on his face.

**They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.**

**"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.**

"How did he get there?" Frank asked his son shocked.

"I don't know dad, he's always turning up where you least expect him too." Neville answered with a shrug.

**Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. ****They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. ****"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"  
**  
A few people chuckled.

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.  
**  
"That's it." Lily said as she passed the book to Sirius.

Sirius opened the book and read, **"Chapter Seven The Sorting Hat."**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story it is much appreciated and I'm lettig everyone know now that the break for lunch will be after the Sorting Chapter and I'm open for suggestions for what you want to happen between Oliver and Aphrodite during the break, remember it is a lunch break so nothing to explicit but this is also a M rating story so it is up to you want to happen between them. Sometimes when there is a break I will ask you what to happen for example this first break and when they break off for the night I will ask you what you want to happen. Also in the break Sirius and Remus are going to ask James and Lily if they could Blood-Adopt Aphrodite.**

**I may not be able to update tomorrow as I have college but I will be uploading on Friday night and the weekend. **

**Thanks.**

**Padfootette. **


	8. Chapter Eight: The Sorting Hat

Chapter Eight:

**"Chapter Seven The Sorting Hat"** read Sirius, Aphrodite paled as Sirius read the title of the chapter.

Everyone was going to find out she was almost in Slytherin what if Oliver didn't love her anymore?

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Aphrodite's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

"And yet you continued to do so." Professor McGonagall said, but there was a very small smile on her face. She would never admit it anyone but she saw Aphrodite as a granddaughter.

**"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

**"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.  
**  
"It's so pretty." Aphrodite said.

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Aphrodite could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.**

**"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.  
**  
"That's true." Aphrodite said smiling at her friends and up at Oliver.

**You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.  
**  
"Or for the whole school to turn against you and ridicule you." Aphrodite grumbled.

"Yes or that." Hermione nodded.

"Why what happened?" Lily and James asked concerned.

"You'll find out." Aphrodite said simply.

**"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear,  
**  
Neville blushed.

"How did that happen?" Frank asked his son.

"I have no idea." Neville said with a shrug.

**And on Ron's smudged nose.**

The Weasley's in the room snickered.

**Aphrodite nervously tied her hair up.  
**  
"Why did you do the Sweetie?" Lily asked.

"Habit Uncle Vernon always yelled at me for having my hair down." Aphrodite said.

**"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."**

"Yeah like that's going to happen." Sirius snorted.

"We can always hope." Minerva said.

**She left the chamber. Aphrodite swallowed. "How exactly do they sort us into houses?" she asked Ron.**

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"I was." Fred smirked.

**Aphrodite's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But she didn't know any magic yet - what on earth would she have to do? She hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. She looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.  
**  
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Only Hermione." Hermione did the mature thing and stuck out her Tongue.

**Aphrodite tried hard not to listen to her. She'd never been more nervous, never, not even when she'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that she'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue.  
**  
"Brilliant." yelled Fred and George, "Please come pranking with us."

"NO!" shouted Draco and Neville making everyone look at them. "Then we won't have anyone to prank with and Hermione won't come at all other wise."

"You mean to tell me that all those unexplained pranks were you four." McGonagall asked shocked. "Even you Miss Granger."

The four of them just nodded and James started cheering and doing a weird dance around the living room.

**She kept her eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead her to his doom.**

"Really Aph." Draco smirked.

"Oh, shut up Dray."

**Then something happened that made her jump about a foot in the air — several people behind her screamed.**

"What happened?" Lily asked worried.

**"What the —?" She gasped. So did the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall.**

"Oh, it's just the ghosts." She said relieved that nothing had happened to her baby.

**Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"  
**  
"Every year and yet no one thinks to warn the first years." Bill shook his head.

**"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"  
**  
Arthur chuckled. "Do they do that on purpose?"

"Oh yes they have that scripted." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.**

**Nobody answered.**

**"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"**

"What!? I thought they were going to jump into the Black Lake." Fred shook his head.

"No I thought they are about to go into the forbidden forest. George said.

"I've done both." Aphrodite reminded them.

"Yes well you get to have all the fun." They said back.

"What!?" shouted Lily and James. "Why the hell was you even in the Black Lake let alone the Forbidden Forest?"

"If I tell you now it will spoil the purpose of the book." Aphrodite said offhanded.

**"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."**

**"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though her legs had turned to lead, Aphrodite got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. ****Aphrodite had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.**

"I miss it." Bill sighed. The people who had graduated in the room nodded their agreement.

**At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.  
**  
"So amazing." Tonks breathed.

**Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Aphrodite looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History'." **_**Aphrodite already knew this as it was one of the books she had brought when she went to Diagon Alley with Hagrid, nevertheless,**_** it was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

"It's so beautiful." Aphrodite couldn't wait to get back to it except she'd have to leave Oliver and she didn't want to do that.

As if sensing her inner turmoil Oliver whispered into her ear, "Don't worry Love I'll come up and see you on Hogsmeade days if I'm not working, like I did last year." Aphrodite smiled happy at the thought and kissed Olive soundly on the lips.

**Aphrodite quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.  
**  
Aphrodite seeing the mischievous look on the twin's faces said sternly, "You will not be taking the hat to the Dursleys; you'll traumatise the poor thing." She said very seriously making everyone laugh.

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it; Aphrodite thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing —  
**  
"Why?" Bill was perplexed.

"It's a Muggle thing." Hermione said laughing at her friends thought. Bill smiled at Hermione she had a very cute laugh he thought. 'Wait did I just think that no she's too young for you, you idiot.' Bill told himself sternly.

**Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, she stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:  
**  
"Sing, Sing, Sing." The twins chanted.

"NO!" shouted Lily, James, Remus, Frank and Alice, making Sirius pout.

"And why not?" Sirius glared at them.

"Love, you know you're not a very good singer." Remus tried to placate his husband.

Seeing that Sirius was about to argue Hermione said, "Why don't you let Aph sing, Sirius." Making Aphrodite glare at her.

"No Hermione I'm not singing. I can't sing." Aphrodite ground out.

"Now that's a lie if I've ever heard one. You have a beautiful voice Aph I hear you singing in the shower at Hogwarts." Neville said, making her turn her glare on to him though she had a slight blush covering her cheeks.

"Wait how can you hear her sing in the shower?" James asked.

"She sleeps in the boys' dorm James as there a student who started late and the girls' dormitory was full and there was a free space in the boys and Miss Potter kindly offered her bed to the girl, when she heard the conversation. But don't worry there are charms in the dorm room so none of the boys can get into her bed." Professor McGonagall tried to calm the enraged parent.

"Well at least there's that." James ground out; he didn't want his baby girl sleeping in a dorm full of boys no matter who they were.

"Please Baby sing for me; I've never heard you sing." Oliver pleaded.

"Okay fine." Aphrodite said and held her hand out for the book. Sirius levitated it over to her; he couldn't wait to hear his Goddaughter sing.

Aphrodite cleared her throat and started to sing.

**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"  
**  
Everyone was shocked at the beautiful, soulful voice that Aphrodite had and started to clap making her blush bright red and her hair to turn a bright pink a she handed the book back to Sirius.

"That was beautiful Sweetheart; you have a better singing voice than me." Lily said.

"Thanks mum." Aphrodite smiled.

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

**"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Aphrodite. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

"Not yet anyway." Aphrodite whispered to low for anyone to hear.

**Aphrodite smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but she did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Aphrodite didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for her.**

"Everyone would go into that one Miss. Potter." Minerva shook her head.

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

**"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"**

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.  
**  
"Yes." Tonks cheered, while her father just smiled and shook his head at his hyperactive daughter.

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Aphrodite saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

**"Bones, Susan!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

Tonks cheered again.

**"Boot, Terry!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

Kingsley clapped politely.

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

**"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw**

Again Kingsley clapped.

**Too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor,**

Shouts went up around the room.

**And the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Aphrodite could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

**"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.**

**Perhaps it was Aphrodite's imagination, after all she'd heard about Slytherin, but she thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.  
**  
"Well not all of them." Aphrodite amended.

**She was starting to feel definitely sick now. She remembered being picked for teams during gym at her old school. She had always been last to be chosen, not because she was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked her.  
**  
"They didn't like me anyway." Aphrodite said quietly though the whole room heard her.

"Don't worry Baby, you have plenty of people who care and love you now." Oliver said.

**"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

Tonks cheered again.

**Sometimes, Aphrodite noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Aphrodite in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.  
**  
"That's because the longer the hat is on someone's head the more trouble the hat has placing them it just means they have attributes of all the houses." Dumbledore said.

Aphrodite was losing colour in her face as she realized that everyone in the room would realize what house the hat almost put her in.

"Are you ok?" Oliver whispered. She stiffly nodded.

**"Granger, Hermione!"**

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.  
**  
**"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.**

"Yes." The room shouted.

**Ron groaned.  
**  
Hermione glared at Ron.

**A horrible thought struck Aphrodite, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if she wasn't chosen at all? What if she just sat there with the hat over her eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off her head and said there had obviously been a mistake and she'd better get back on the train?  
**

"Miss Potter that's never happened nor will it ever." Minerva said.

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. **

"Alice did that too." Lily said making her friend glare half-hearted at her.

**The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR,"  
**  
"It couldn't figure out where to put me." Neville said.

"Where did it want to put you?" Aphrodite asked.

"Well it was leaning towards Gryffindor at first but I didn't think I belonged there."

"Oh, Neville there is no where you belong more." Aphrodite told her friend. Causing him to blush and for all the adults except Snape to smile proudly at her.

**Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."** **Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

"I was such a Prat back then." Draco grumbled. Aphrodite smiled reassuringly at her friend though she grew paler and turn around rest her head on Oliver's broad chest, as her sorting would be coming up soon.

**There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"…, then "Perks, Sally-Anne"…,**

**and then, at last —**

**"Potter, Aphrodite!"**

**As Aphrodite stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

"That just made me more nervous." Aphrodite grumbled.

**"Potter, did she say?"**

**"The Aphrodite Potter?"**

**The last thing Aphrodite saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. **_**Which mad her stomach drop, she didn't like people staring at her.**__  
_  
Aphrodite's face was now drained completely of colour and she clutched tightly to Oliver's shirt making him frown at her in concern as he gave her as much comfort as he could. By now the whole room had noticed how pale she was and looked at her in concern as they saw she was clutching to Oliver as if her life depended on it.

**Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited.**

**"Hmm," said a small voice in her ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, Oh my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting…So where shall I put you?"**

**Aphrodite gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.**

**"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that."**

Severus looked over at her. So she'd almost been one of his Snakes what would he have done if she had been.

Oliver whispered in her ear. "I would have loved you anyway; I love you for who you are not for what house you are in."

"Really?" She asked as a small amount for hope built up in her.

"Yes, nothing would have changed how I feel and nothing will as I said I love you for who you are not what house you are in and I will always love you." Oliver said sincerely.

**No? Well, if you're sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!"**

"You were almost a Slytherin." Ron and Ginny said with disgust written across their faces.

"Yes and so what? I'm cunning and have a Slytherin side. Is that so bad?" Aphrodite asked.

"No." Sirius shook his head, "As you said not all Slytherin's are bad, Andy's not and she was a Slytherin, and so was Moody, it pays to have a Slytherin side and it wouldn't of stopped me from loving you if you were in Slytherin."

"We still love you and it doesn't matter to us Sweetie." Lily said, Aphrodite nodded and looked intently at her dad.

"Come here." James said as he held his arms open, Aphrodite got up and snuggled into his embrace. "I love you no matter what Aph okay? You're my baby girl and noting will change that. Okay?"

"Okay dad." Aphrodite said and hugged her father; she missed being hugged like this by her dad it made her feel safe as if nothing could hurt her. "But why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because it's true Cub, we would never lie to you." Remus said as everyone else who care about her nodded in agreement. As Aphrodite smiled and went back to Oliver and rested her head against his chest and PadMoon licked her had almost as if he was agreeing with everyone.

**Aphrodite heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. She was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin; she hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook her hand vigorously, "Welcome to Gryffindor." He said. While the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"**

**Aphrodite sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff she'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Aphrodite the sudden, horrible feeling she'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.**

"I hate when that happens." James shivered.

**She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs up. Aphrodite grinned back. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Aphrodite recognized him at once from the card she'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts.  
**  
"Really?" Dumbledore said.

**Aphrodite spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.  
**  
"Stupid idiotic turban." Aphrodite muttered, as she rubbed her neck again.

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Aphrodite at the Gryffindor table.  
**  
The Gryffs cheered, while Aphrodite glared at the book him and Seamus were always asking her out even though they knew she was dating Oliver.

**"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw**

Kingsley once again clapped.

**And then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Aphrodite crossed her fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
**  
All the Weasley's smiled at the youngest Weasley brother who was blushing from all the attention.

**Aphrodite clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to her. "Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Aphrodite. **

**As "Zambini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin.**

**Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Aphrodite looked down at her empty gold plate. She had only just realized how hungry she was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago. **_**There was a little bark that came from her pocket and PadMoon stuck his head out of her robe pocket and looked around as if he was agreeing with her. Aphrodite took him out of her pocket and cuddled him to her chest and giggled when he licked the tip of her nose, which made everyone turn to look at her and Percy Weasley to look at her sternly.**_

"_**You know you were told to leave your animals on the train." Percy said, glaring at her.**_

"_**Leave her alone Percy, she obviously didn't want to leave him alone look at how tiny he is." Said a burly but handsome boy in a slight Scottish accent.**_

"You thought I was burly and handsome even then?" Oliver asked amused.

"Aphrodite blushed and nodded. "You are handsome and burly which means strongly built which is perfect for a Gryffindor and a Puddle Mere United keeper." She said which just made her blush darker.

Oliver chuckled and kissed her head.

_**"Yes but that is not the point." argued Percy Weasley. The boy who had defended her glared at him, "I said leave her alone Percy." Percy just huffed but didn't say another word on the matter.**_

_**Aphrodite smiled gratefully at the boy, and he smiled back making her blush and for her black hair to take on a slight pinkish hue and ducked her head, making Ron laugh at her, Aphrodite turned to glare at him which effectively shut him up. Before he could say anything Albus Dumbledore got to his feet.**_** He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.  
**  
"Well it couldn't." Dumbledore said.

**"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Aphrodite didn't know whether to laugh or not.** **"Is he — a bit mad?" she asked Percy uncertainly.  
**  
"Of course." Dumbledore nodded his own head causing people to laugh.

**"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Aphrodite?"**

**Aphrodite's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of her were now piled with food. She had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. The Dursleys had never exactly starved Aphrodite. But she'd never been allowed to eat as much as she liked.**

"You don't think you're starved when it said in the second and third chapter that they starved you." Oliver was outraged.

"Well I know I was starved but I thought I deserved it then but, I lived and that's all that matters."Aphrodite shrugged.

"Baby, I know I'm glad that you're a live but you could have died and I hate thinking that you could have died there that I could have lost you. It hurts to even think about that all those years that you were there I could have lost you. But I get the feeling that there is more that happened that the book hasn't told us isn't there?" Oliver asked but he feared the answer, but Aphrodite didn't answer which said more than she was saying and he pulled her closer to him.

**Dudley had always taken anything that Aphrodite really wanted, even if it made him sick. Aphrodite piled her plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. "That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Aphrodite cut up her steak **_**and giving a small piece to PadMoon who was still sitting on her lap.  
**_**  
"Can't you —?"**

**"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."**

"I love Nick." Aphrodite sighed.

"Should I be Jealous?" Oliver asked.

"No." Aphrodite snorted.  
**  
"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

**"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted. "Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"**

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.**

"That's what he wanted to happen." Aphrodite laughed.

"Yes well Sir. Nick is into the theatrics." Oliver chuckled.

**"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces,  
**  
"Can you blame us its creepy." Hermione shivered.

"No it's cool." Sirius said.

**Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row!**

"NO!" yelled Frank and James.

"Don't worry Dad; Mr Longbottom Gryffindor has won every year since we started right Nev." Aphrodite answered.

"Yep." Neville agreed with a nod of the head.

"Okay. But Aph you don't need to call me Mr Longbottom you can call me Frank." Frank said and smiled when he received a nod from said girl.

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost." ****Aphrodite looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Aphrodite was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

The room burst into laughter and Draco mock-glared. "Thanks Aph."

"You're welcome Dray."

**"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.  
**  
"Now that you'll never know." Sirius said.

"I bet Aph finds out. She finds everything out, and then she tells me Mione and Draco." Neville said.

**"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…  
**  
"I love Treacle tart." Aphrodite said dreamily.

"I'll make some later for after dinner Sweetie." Lily told her causing Aphrodite to beam.

**As Aphrodite helped herself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families. "I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." The others laughed, **_**though Aphrodite didn't she was thinking how lucky this boy was and that his father wasn't like the Dursleys.**_

"Not good." Severus muttered thinking of his own childhood.

**"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

**"Well, my Gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages.**

"Well they were wrong." Aphrodite said adamantly with her arms crossed over her chest.

**My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned  
**  
"What!" shouted everyone in the room.

"Don't worry my Gran yelled at him." Neville assured them.

**But nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go.**

A few people looked like they were going to faint.

**But I bounced all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."  
**  
"Well I will be talking to my Mother." Frank ground out at how stupid his family was.

**On Aphrodite's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons**

**("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —";**

"Once you get it it's easy." Aphrodite shrugged.

**"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — ").  
**  
"That was easy." Aphrodite and Hermione said at the same time.

**Aphrodite, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, **_**looked down at PadMoon who was fast asleep in on her lap and then looked **_**up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.  
**  
"Perfect description of him." Sirius muttered under his breath so Lily or Remus didn't hear him.

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Aphrodite's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Aphrodite's forehead.**

**"Ouch!" Aphrodite clapped a hand to her head.**

"What did you do to my daughter Snape?" Lily shouted.

"It wasn't him mum." Aphrodite tried to reassure her Mother.

**"What is it?" asked Percy asked, **_**and she noticed that the boy who had stuck up for her earlier was looking at her in concern.**_

"Well you were acting strange." Oliver said as Percy nodded his agreement.

"Thanks." Aphrodite kissed him lightly.

**"N-nothing." She didn't want anyone worried about her.**

"Aphrodite." Oliver said with a sigh as he shook his head.

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Aphrodite had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like Aphrodite at all.**

"He doesn't." Aphrodite glared at him.

"You better not have taken your old school grudge out on my daughter Snape or you won't like the consequences." James threatened.  
**  
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" she asked Percy.**

**"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."**

**Aphrodite watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at her again. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent. "Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."**

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.  
**  
"That used to be us." Sirius chuckled.

"It's now us." Hermione, Draco, Aphrodite and Neville said.

"What are we going to do with you?" Lily, Alice and Narcissa said to Aphrodite, Neville and Draco.

"Love us." The three aforementioned said.

**"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.  
**  
"Doesn't stop anyone." Minerva shook her head.

**"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."  
**  
"Well that's strange." Tonks said with a frown.

**Aphrodite laughed, but she was one of the few who did. "He's not serious?" she muttered to Percy.**

**"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."**

**"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Aphrodite noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

"Too observant." McGonagall and Snape muttered.

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which raised high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.**

**"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"**

**And the school bellowed:**

Sirius levitated the book back over to Aphrodite so she could sing.

**"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."**

After Aphrodite had finished everyone except Snape, Ron and Ginny cheered as she levitated the book back over to Sirius.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. "Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Aphrodite's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.**

"You really should give tours the next morning, that way less people will end up lost because of the moving stairs." Aphrodite advised.

Minerva nodded and wrote it down on a list of suggestions she had. While her parents smiled proudly at Aphrodite.

**They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Aphrodite was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt. ****A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.**

"Peeves." The room sighed.

"I like Peeves he's fun." Aphrodite said with a smile.

"Only because he's nice to you and he actually listens to you." Neville said while everyone looks at Aphrodite shocked.

**"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves —show yourself."** **A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered. "Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

"Oh Percy that won't work." Aphrodite sighed.

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.  
**  
**"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

**"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. ****Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.  
**  
"That hurt." Neville rubbed his head.

"Were you okay?" Alice asked concerned.

"Yeah, I was fine mum." Neville smiled.  
**  
"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."  
**  
"He hardly even listens to the Baron. You're not that important Percy." Sirius said.

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said.**

**"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up**

Neville blushed.

**— And found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

"I love those chairs, there so comfortable." Aphrodite sighed.

"Like you used to sit in them. Last year when Oliver came to see you, you used to always sit on his lap." Neville commentated.

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. ****Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed. "Great food, isn't it?"Aphrodite muttered to Hermione through the hangings, **_**as PadMoon curled up next to her on the bed**_**. Aphrodite was going to ask Hermione if she'd had any of the treacle tart, but she fell asleep almost at once.  
**  
"I had." Hermione nodded.

**Perhaps Aphrodite had eaten a bit too much, because she had a very strange dream. She was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her told the turban she didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; she tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and there was Malfoy, laughing at her as she struggled with it — then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and Aphrodite woke, sweating and shaking.**

"Creepy." Aphrodite said as Oliver held her close.

**She rolled over and fell asleep again, and when she woke next day, she didn't remember the dream at all.  
**

"That's the end of the chapter." Sirius said.

"Right I think its time for a break and for some lunch." Lily said as she, Andy and Narcissa went off to make some lunch leaving a disgruntled Molly in the living room, as everyone went off to do their own thing until lunch was ready.

"Baby, can I talk to you please. In private?" Oliver whispered into her ear.

Aphrodite nodded and got up taking Oliver's hand and left the living room to find somewhere private to talk.


	9. Chapter Nine: The Lunch Break

Thoughts will be in _italics. _

Chapter Nine: The Lunch Break.

While everyone was down in the kitchen waiting for lunch to be served Aphrodite was sitting in Oliver's lap in the library just enjoying being alone with her boyfriend and happy to be in his warm embrace that always made her feel safe and loved in those strong muscled arms.

"Baby, why do you keep rubbing your neck? Is there something wrong with it?" Oliver asked concerned. Aphrodite turned round so she was straddling his waist so she could see his face when she explained why she kept rubbing her neck. Aphrodite wrapped her arms around Oliver's neck, while Oliver held her waist tighter and gave her waist a comfort and reassuring squeeze. Aphrodite took a deep steadying breathe and started to tell Oliver what happened.

"Do you remember at the end of my First year and I missed the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch game because I was unconscious?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yes, I was so worried about you, I came to visit you, and the team had to actually drag me away from your side for the game. I didn't want to leave you, you were so pale and barely breathing I thought you were..." Oliver trailed off with tears in his eyes trying not to let them fall as he remembered how pale, cold and still she looked lying in that Hospital bed. Oliver shook his head rather forcefully, trying to get the image out of his head. Aphrodite was indeed in fact alive; she was sitting in his arms on his lap. _'Yes but you could of lost her before you even had her, nobody knew you loved her they all thought you cared more about Quidditch than her.' _The traitorous part of his mind said making then tears fall.

Aphrodite wiped the tears away with her thumb and kissed Oliver's flushed and still wet cheeks, she didn't want to make him upset she hated seeing Oliver upset and he only got upset because of her and she hated it, she wanted him to be happy and he was just going to ge more upset when he finds out she nearly died multiple times over the years. She sighed and kissed Oliver's cheeks again and rested her head against his.

"I love you Ollie, I didn't mean to make you upset I was just... I was just going to tell you what happened and why I was even in the hospital bed in the first place. I didn't mean to make you upset I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Aphrodite said in low pained voice.

"I know Baby. I know you didn't mean to upset me, I was just thinking of how you looked when I saw you and I didn't want to leave you and I was literally dragged away to the game and how I nearly lost you before I had you, and how everyone thought I cared more about Quidditch than you when it's not true. I love you I have since I first saw you I think as I thought you were cute when you were in first year. But as I got to know you properly my feelings for you grew and I realised I loved you when you were in third year." Oliver said with conviction.

Aphrodite smiled happily and had her own tears running down her face but they were tears of happiness. "I know you loved me Babe and that's all that matters. Do you want me to continue?" Oliver nodded so Aphrodite continued.

"Well the reason why I was in there was because I found out why the third floor corridor was forbidden. There was a Cerberus behind the door and it was standing over a trapdoor. Under the trapdoor were a number of spells and enchantments designed to protect the Philosophers Stone hence the title of the book. The reason I went down there was to get to the stone first as I found out that someone was trying to steal it and I told Professor McGonagall but she didn't believe me. At first we thought it was Snape trying to steal the stone to bring Voldemort back. But it wasn't Snape." Aphrodite explained.

"Who was it then?" Oliver asked confused.

"It was Quirrell." Aphrodite said.

"Quirrell?" Oliver said shocked.

"Yes, his stutter was a fake to cover up that he was after the stone he framed Snape. In the first Quidditch match when my broom tried to through me off that was Quirrell jinking the broom and the reason why he had that turban on was to hide the fact that Voldemort was on the back of his head that's why my scar hurt at the Sorting."

"HE DID WHAT?! THAT BLOODY FAKER TRIED TO KILL YOU AND I TAKE IT THAT HE WAS THE REASON YOU WERE UNCONCIOUS AT THE END OF THE YEAR?" Oliver shouted.

"Babe, please calm down yes Quirrell was the one who tried to steal the stone and the reason I ended up in the Hospital Wing. I went into the last chamber and Quirrell was standing there in front of the Mirror of Erised, which is a mirror that shows your heart's desire. He tied me up and only untied me when Voldemort who was on the back of his head all year told Quirrell to use me to get the stone, I got the stone and lied to Quirrell about winning the House Cup, he believed me but Voldemort did not, Quirrell then took of his turban cause Voldemort wanted to speak to me, he asked me to join him and I said i would never join him.

He started saying things about my parents and if I gave him the stone he would bring them back they appeared in the Mirror and I'm so...so sorry Ollie for a few seconds I believed that he could bring them back. I wasn't going to join him; I would never, ever do that.

But when he got excited about the stone they disappeared from the Mirror and I knew he was lying and I shouted at him and Quirrell lunged at me and started to strangle me but he couldn't touch me because of the Ancient Magik my Mother did to save me when I was a baby. He went to a wand less Killing Curse but if Quirrell touched me he was in terrible pain as his hands were all red and burnt where he tried to strangle me so I clung onto his wrist, but my scar was hurting more than it had ever done and I passed out from the pain and because of all the magic I had used to stop him. I'm sorry Ollie please don't me mad that I believed Voldemort for a few seconds, but I would never join him for anything. I'm so, so sorry." Aphrodite said with tears running freely and unchecked down her face.

Oliver pulled Aphrodite into a hug as she cried. "I'm not mad at you Baby; you have nothing to be sorry for. He tricked you into giving him the stone and you didn't know that you couldn't bring back the dead and I know you would never join him or go to the Dark Side. I believe you wouldn't I have never doubted you Baby and I never will. You realised that he was tricking you and that's all that matters anybody in your situation would of done the same you was only twelve Aph, I would of done the same thing if I had the chance to get m parents back if they were dead you have nothing to be ashamed of. I love you Baby never forget that." Oliver said rubbing circles on her back.

When Aphrodite pulled Oliver wiped away her teas and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips trying to convey how much he loves her and trying to take all her pain away. When they broke apart to catch their breathes Oliver started checking her neck to see if there was any mark left on her neck once he was sure there was no mark he kissed her neck, extracting a small moan from Aphrodite. Oliver got a mischievous smile on his face and started sucking, kissing and biting all over Aphrodite's neck leaving love bites in his wake and making Aphrodite moan a little bit louder with every bite as Oliver bit down harder each time.

Oliver reached Aphrodite's pulse point and sucked and bite down and made Aphrodite yelp and rock her hips against his making them both moan, as Aphrodite felt Oliver's growing erection. Oliver pulled back and then in the next second caught Aphrodite's lips in a searing kiss and started running his tongue over her bottom lip begging for entrance, when Aphrodite didn't let him in he bit down on her lip and forced his tongue into her mouth when she gasped in surprise and started exploring every inch of her mouth as Aphrodite ran her hands through his hair from the back as her hands were still wrapped around his neck.

As their tongues battles for dominance he was vaguely aware of the fact that his hands had left Aphrodite's waist and had pulled her hair band out off her hair so the braid started to become undone as he moved his hands back down towards her waist and stared rubbing circles on her waist. As the kiss started to become more heated it turned from a searing kiss and turned into a full-out snogging session which had quickly become much more passionate Aphrodite went back to rocking her hips against Oliver's making them both groan into the kiss the door banned open making them jump apart and turn to see who had disturbed their quality time.

Standing in the door way was a smirking Fred and George. "Well, well, well it looks like we interrupted this two just in time don't you agree Forge." Fred asked.

"I do indeed Gred." George said still smirking at Oliver and Aphrodite. "Imagine if we had let Mr Potter or even Sirius or Remus come up and tell them that lunch is ready, Gred?"

"Well Ickle Aphiekins would be embarrassed and we would be holding a Funeral for dear Ollie Pop." Fred said with a fake sigh.

"What do you want you two?" Oliver snapped.

"Well that's not very nice now is it Ollie Pop, we just saved you from being murdered from Aphiekins dad, Sirius and Remus. Imagine what they would of done if they had walked in to find you two snogging and looking like that." Fred said.

"Anyway Lily said lunch is now ready and we suggest you two...erm fix your selves up a bit before you come down." George continued. And with that they both left the library. Oliver looked over at Aphrodite and saw that her neck was covered in love bites, his Puddle Mere United shirt hanging off of one of her shoulders, her lips a full bruised red and her hair no longer in her neat braid put sticking up all over the place and he also realised that the back of his well her shirt was all tucked up at the back. He then looked at himself and saw that the front of his shirt was wide open showing his tone and slightly tanned chest he also figured that his lips were also bruised and his hair was sticking up all over the place.

Instead of fixing his shirt and hair he pulled Aphrodite back into his arms and kissed her already abused and bruised lips until the need for air could no longer be ignored. "I love you Baby." Oliver breathed against her lips causing Aphrodite to smile and press a chaste kiss to his lips. "I love you too Ollie." Aphrodite breathed against his own lips. "Maybe we should fix our clothes and hair than go back down stairs before Dad, Siri or Remmy comes up to find us." Aphrodite suggested.

"Maybe in a minute." Oliver said as he kissed her nose making her giggle. Oliver went to pull Aphrodite into his arms but Aphrodite giggled and shook her head and tapped Oliver lightly on the nose. "Not now Ollie what if my Dad walked in with us looking like this?" Aphrodite reprimanded lightly, though there was a wide grin on her face as she said it and Oliver made a silent vow to himslef to make sure that the grin stayed on her face more often as it lighted up her whole face.

"Okay Love." Oliver said as he smoothed out his hair and moved onto do up his shirt. Once they had both fixed their hairs and shirts Oliver took Aphrodite's hand and headed down to the kitchen for lunch.

***In the kitchen.***

When Oliver and Aphrodite entered the kitchen everyone looked up and Fred said, "Ah, here are the two lovebirds." He said as he waggled his eyebrows at them and Aphrodite sent him and George a warning glance. Once they had sat down near Hermione, Lily put a plate of sandwiches and a glass of pumpkin juice in front of both of them. "Are you okay Sweetheart?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine mum." Aphrodite said as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Mione, do you like Bill?" Aphrodite asked.

Hermione was silent for a few minutes before she answered. "Yes, I do but I don't know him that well at the moment and I don't think he likes me."

"Are you mad I've seen the way he acts when Ron acted the way he did in the books and now and the way he looks at you. He likes you Mio I don't you get to know him a bit more it can't hurt and if I'm wrong then I'm sorry for getting your hopes up and at least you can be friends." Aphrodite said.

"You're not getting my hopes up Aph and your right it won't hurt to get to know him a bit better. Thanks Aph." Hermione said as she gave Aphrodite a hug. And then turned to talk to Bill about how he was and how his job was going and their opinions on how Magical Creatures should be treated.

Once everyone had finished their lunch they all moved back into Living room and they all sat where they had sat before apart from Hermione and Bill next to each other and continued their conversation about Magical Creatures. Remus picked up the book but instead of opening it he looked at Sirius who nodded and then turned to Lily and James.

"Before we start reading Sirius and I would like to ask Lily and James something." Remus said. "Lily, James. Sirius and I love Aph as if she was our own daughter and we would protect her with our lives and if you two agree we would like to Blood-Adopt her as our daughter." Remus continued.

Lily and James beamed over at Sirius and Remus. "We can think of no one else who we would like and trust to Blood-Adopt our daughter." James said.

"Aph would you to become our daughter as well as Lily and James'?" Sirius asked. Instead of answering Aphrodite got up and hugged Sirius and Remus with a huge smile on her face. "I take that as a yes than." Sirius said.

"Yes please." Aphrodite beamed her hair turning to turquoise in her happiness. Everyone smiled at how happy Aph was.

"Severus could you please make the Potion?" Remus asked. Snape stiffly nodded and got up to leave the room. "It should be ready by the end of the next chapter than all that would be needed to add the blood from all three of you and then I would need to mix it in the Potion and then Miss Potter would just need to drink it. But the changes won't take affect straight away it will take twenty-four hours for the change to be complete." He said in his slow drawl.

"Thank you Professor." Aphrodite said. Snape gave a stiff nod before he left the room. Aphrodite smiled at her mum and dad and hugged them as well as Sirius and Remus before sitting next Oliver who immediately wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so happy for you Love." Oliver smiled.

"Thanks." Aphrodite smiled and gave Oliver a quick kiss. She looked over at her parents, Godfather and Uncle, well soon to be Dad and Papa. "Sirius, will I need to call you 'dad' as well as my dad and will I need to call Remus 'Papa' now?" Aphrodite asked.

"No, Pup not if you don't want to. Lily and James will always be your mum and dad even now that I will be your dad as well and Remus will be your Papa we're not replacing them we just wanted you to have a family and you call us still 'Siri' and 'Remmy' if you want to." Sirius said with a smile.

"I know you and Remus aren't replacing mum and dad. I love you and Remus as much as I love mum and dad, I just wanted to know what I had to call you is all." Aphrodite said.

"Okay Pup I just wanted to make sure and we love you so much that's why were adopting you and you can call us what you want, within reason of course." Sirius said with a smile.

"Thank you Siri, Remmy, mum, dad. I love you all too." Aphrodite smiled.

"You don't need to thank us Sweetie and we love you too." Lily smiled at her baby girl glad she is so looked after and happy.

"Right, I'm going to start the next chapter now if that's okay with everyone?" Remus asked. When everyone nodded he opened to the correct chapter and read.

"**Chapter Eight, The Potions Master." **Remus read.

"Oh why does he get his own chapter?" Sirius groaned, but shut up when he saw Lily's and James' glares directed his way.


	10. Chapter Ten The Potions Master

Chapter Ten: The Potions Master.

"**Chapter Eight, The Potions Master." **Remus read.

"**There, look."**

**"Where?"**

**"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

**"Did you see her face?"**

**"Did you see her scar?"**

"That probably got annoying really quick." Bill snorted

Tonks had a faint blush at seeing Aphrodite nod; she had been one of the few to ogle at the poor kids scar.

**Whispers followed Aphrodite from the moment she left her dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again, staring.** **Aphrodite wished they wouldn't, because she was trying to concentrate on finding her way to classes.**

"They should have been helping you not treating you like a sideshow act." Aphrodite smiled sweetly at Oliver and gave him a kiss on the cheek while James, Sirius and Remus were torn between wanting to kill him and hug him for standing up for their little girl.

"Didn't you stare at her as well?" Ginny sneered.

"No I didn't I actually helped her find her classes when I saw her." Oliver said. Aphrodite's parents, Sirius and Remus smiled proudly over at Oliver glad that Aphrodite had someone who will look after her.

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts:**

"You counted?" laughed Ginny

Hermione rolled her eyes "Of course she didn't it's in Hogwarts A History."

**Wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. Even with her memory she had trouble keeping track of everything worked within the castle.**

**The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Aphrodite was sure the coats of armour could walk.**

"They can Aph." James said.

"I know now dad." Aphrodite said with a smile.

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class.**

**He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"Moony taught him that!" Sirius and James let out a laugh.

Hermione shook her head at her favourite professor, he always did that to her at the worst possible times.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Aphrodite and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. **

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor.**

**He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

"Yeah right, more like making sure it was still there." muttered Hermione and Aphrodite. Remus stopped reading and looked at his daughter questioningly but all he got in return was her patented sweet smile that made people cave at the sight of it.

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later.**

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

"I did that a few times, that damn cat always got me into trouble." Seeing their shocked faces Kingsley asked "What? Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Most adults wouldn't admit that." Ted said with a fond smile and a shake of his head at his daughter's partner.

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, everyone quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. **

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Aphrodite's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

"Charms is one of my best subjects." Aphrodite remarked. Lily beamed happily at her daughter.

"It was one of my best subjects too Sweetie." Lily said as Aphrodite beamed back at her mother.

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Aphrodite had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

**"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time but even after hearing that Aphrodite was still excited about this class, it seemed like one of the most interesting. ****After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. **_**Aphrodite had done it in only a few minutes, she'd just visualized what the needle looked liked and she remembered the feel of the metal in her hand, and then she cast the spell.**_

Everyone looked at her in complete shock. James turned to smile at his daughter. "You have my gift in Transfiguration as well as your Mother's gift in Charms." James said pride evident in his voice.

"She is also excellent at Defence Against the Dark Arts, James the best in her year. She was also able to produce a Corporal Patronus in her third year." Remus said looking at his daughter with pride. He couldn't wait for him and Sirius to Blood-Adopt her after this chapter.

Aphrodite blushed and buried her head in Oliver's chest making him chuckle and hold her close.

**Hermione looked a little jealous at first but then gave Aphrodite a small smile.**

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather;**

Bill and Charlie snorted at that, he seemed like such a good teacher.

**For another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

"Oh, he is such a great teacher." Lily said scathingly.

**Aphrodite was very relieved to find out that she wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like her, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

"You thought...you thought you were behind?" Draco said in shock, she had never told him this.

"I didn't know I was considered advanced." Aphrodite shrugged like it was no big deal.

**Friday was an important day for Aphrodite and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once. **

"Didn't you have the..." James started but Aphrodite cut him off.

"No dad I didn't get it till third year." Aphrodite said as she snuggled closer to Oliver, as James nodded his head to show he heard her.

**"What have we got today?" Aphrodite asked Ron as she poured sugar on her porridge.**

**"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them — we'll be able to see if it's true."**

**"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Aphrodite.** **Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

**Just then, the mail arrived. Aphrodite had gotten used to this by now, but it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. Hedwig hadn't brought Aphrodite anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble her ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

Sirius got up kissed the top of her head, he would send her something once a day, and she deserved to know she was loved. Almost as if she was reading his mind Aphrodite slipped out of her embrace with Oliver and hugged her Sirius "Love you Siri, a lot." The smile on Sirius face was that of the one he used to wear as a Hogwarts student,

"Love you too pup."

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Aphrodite's plate.**

**Aphrodite tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:**

**Dear Aphrodite,**

**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.**

**Hagrid**

Lily and James smiled at that glad Hagrid was there for their daughter.

**Aphrodite borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that Aphrodite had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to her so far.**

**At the start-of-term banquet, Aphrodite had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked her. By the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Aphrodite**

Everyone's eyebrows went up with this, maybe he let the grudge against her dad and Sirius go.

— **He hated her.**

James and Sirius scowled at that, he had no right to hate her. Remus and Lily slipped their hands into their husbands' not wanting them to go down into the Potion Lab and strangle him.

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Aphrodite's name.**

**"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Aphrodite Potter. Our new — celebrity."**

Everyone glared at the book as the man was currently absent from the room, she obviously hated her fame but he was too stubborn to see that.

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

"I'm sorry Aph." Draco apologised.

"It's fine Dray." Aphrodite smiled at her best friend.

**"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

**"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death— if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"What a great speech." Alice sneered.

**More silence followed this little speech. Aphrodite and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

**"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"That's not something a first year would know!" snapped Tonks but she didn't see the smug look on Aphrodite's face.

"**Draught of the Living Death sir." Aphrodite replied immediately.**

Tonks looked shocked at that along with some of the others.

**Snape looked shocked so he seemed to try and through her off again. **

**"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" **

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but **

**"In the stomach of a goat sir." Aphrodite knew he was testing her and trying to make her look like an idiot, **_**well good luck with that**_** she thought.**

Everyone who knew Lily laughed and it took a few minutes for everyone to calm down and explain what was so funny.

"You...you defiantly have your Mother's wit." James said through his laughter but he was smiling proudly at his daughter.

**Snape looked like someone had just slapped him. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolvesbane?" **

**"There the same thing sir and they also go by the name of Aconite." **

"**Well why are you not writing that down?" Snape sneered. There was suddenly a mad rush to get out parchment and quills. "Well at least someone from Gryffindor knows something Snape sneered "And a point will be given to Gryffindor House" He said reluctantly. **

The twins looked shocked at that "We actually got a point?" they muttered to each other, they never thought they would live to see the day.

"I'm so proud of you Baby." Oliver said as he kissed her cheek.

_**Aphrodite caught Seamus' eye and he winked at her.**_

Oliver growled and held Aphrodite closer to him.

**But things got worse for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was sweeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"Were you okay, Son?" Frank asked concerned.

"Yeah dad I was fine nothing Madam Pomfrey couldn't sort out anyway." Neville said. Both his parents nodded glad that he was fine.

**"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

**"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Aphrodite and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

**"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?**

"What is wrong with him he is the bloody teacher he should make sure that Neville and the other students are doing their potions right not Aph." Andy ranted.

"Oh, but Aunt Andy I'm supposed to be making sure everyone is doing their potion correctly as well as my own at the same time otherwise its a detention or points taking off if I'm lucky." Aphrodite said sarcastically.

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's two points you've lost for Gryffindor."**

**That was completely unfair just as Aphrodite opened her mouth to argue, but Ron kicked her behind their cauldron.**

**"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Aphrodite's mind was racing and her spirits were low. She'd lost two points for Gryffindor in her very first week**

—**why did Snape hate her so much?**

James and Sirius looked down in shame as Lily and Remus squeezed their hands reassuringly.

**"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"**

"Nice change of topic Ron." Smirked Remus

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds, **_**with PadMoon in Aphrodite's robe pocket. He was still so small she wanted to ask Hagrid if he was okay as she was really worried about him**_**. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Aphrodite knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang —back."**

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

**"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling; a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

**"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

"Watch out for the ones with cute names." Aphrodite said with a smile trying to lighten the mood.

**"This is Ron," Aphrodite told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

**"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.**

**"I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."**

"What were you doing near the forest!" screeched Molly, but Fred and George pretended they couldn't hear her as they were looking over at Aphrodite and Oliver who were whispering quietly to each other and then they saw Oliver kiss Aphrodite's neck. As they looked closer they saw that her neck was still covered in love bites and they got a mischievous grin on their faces.

"Aph, what are all those on your neck?" Fred and George asked. Everyone turned to look at Aphrodite and saw that her neck was covered in love bites.

James, Sirius, Remus and Ted glared over at Oliver for doing that to their daughter/niece and were about to say something to him when two yelps from across the room drew their attention and they saw Fred and George rubbing their arms which were bright red and swollen evident that a mild _'Stinging Hex' _had been shot at them. They then turned to look at Aphrodite who was putting her wand away, back into the wand holster that was attached to her belt on her jeans.

"Remmy, could you continue reading please." Aphrodite asked, as she continued to glare at Fred and George.

"_**Hagrid, could you look at PadMoon please my puppy, he's still really small and I'm really worried about him." Aphrodite said nervously biting her bottom lip as she held PadMoon in her arms.**_

"_**Don' worries yerself Aphrodite, I'm sure he is fine but I can take a look at him if yer want?" Hagrid said smiling reassuringly.**_

"_**Yes please." Aphrodite said as she placed PadMoon on the table. Hagrid carefully picked him up and looked him over, he then got up and went to his cupboards and got out some special dog food and came back to the table.**_

"_**He's fine, Aphrodite don' worry, he's just small 'cause he was ter younges' but I can tell yer've been taking good care o' him he's grown since we go' him, but you can give him some of this food fer a few days. Its Fang's but yer can have it I go' loads an' it will help him grow ter the right weight fer his age. But yer doing a great job with him Aphrodite." Hagrid said with smile. Aphrodite got up and hugged Hagrid tightly. "Thank you Hagrid you're the best."**_

"_**Don' worry about it." Hagrid said with a slight blush.**_

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Aphrodite and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons.** **Fang rested his head on Aphrodite's knee and drooled all over her robes **_**and carefully licked PadMoon's face as PadMoon was in Aphrodite's arms and had just nuzzled Fangs face**_**.** **Aphrodite and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."**

**"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh knows, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it?"**

**Aphrodite told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Aphrodite not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

**"But he seemed to really hate me."**

**"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Aphrodite couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet her eyes when he said that.**

Dumbledore chuckled at that, Hagrid was a horrible liar.

**"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."**

Charlie beamed at that, Hagrid was a good friend but he was terrible at changing the subject subtly.

**Aphrodite wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Aphrodite picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

_**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**_

_**"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.**_

Bill laughed at that "Goblins are very territorial, they don't like when we get into their business."

**Aphrodite remembered Ron telling her on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

**"Hagrid!" said Aphrodite, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my parent's wedding Anniversary! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

**There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet Aphrodite's eyes this time. He grunted and offered her another rock cake. Aphrodite read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

**As Aphrodite and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner (PadMoon back in her pocket fast to sleep after she had given him some of the food Hagrid had given her), their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse,**

"You are my favourite daughter and smartest." laughed Sirius. Remus shook his head at this husband; he really was too cute when he acted like this.

**Aphrodite thought that none of the lessons she'd had so far had given her as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. **

McGonagall looked at her a question forming on her lips but before she could ask Aphrodite interrupted her.

"I found the lessons easy and I was curious." Aphrodite said with a shrug.

**Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Aphrodite?**

"That's the end of the chapter." Remus said just as Snape walked into the room with three goblets in his hands. "I just need a drop of blood from the three of you into each of the goblets then you will need to drink the potions and then it will take twenty-four hours for the Potion to take effect." Snape said.

Remus, Sirius and Aphrodite nodded and added their drops of blood into the three goblets and then watched as the potion turned a reddish-orange colour before going back to being clear. Aphrodite looked over at her mum and dad who nodded reassuringly at her and then at Sirius and Remus who smiled at her with the goblets in their hands waiting for her to take her goblet. Once Aphrodite had her goblet in her hand the three of them downed the potion in one go and once the goblets were empty Snape banished them with a wave of his wand.

As Aphrodite sat back down next to Oliver she could feel the coolness of the potion affect her bones. It was as if someone had spelled an ice-cube down her shirt.

"Thank you Severus, we have just finished Chapter eight which was called the Potion Master." Remus said as Snape sat back down.

"Before Remus passes the book to Frank I want to make one thing clear." Lily said. "You carry on treating my daughter the way you have been Severus and it won't be James and Sirius you have to worry yourself about." Lily glared over at ex-friend who had an expressionless mask on but nodded nonetheless.

Remus passed the book over to Frank who opened it to the correct chapter and read. **"Chapter Nine, The Midnight Duel."**


	11. Chapter Eleven: The Midnight Duel

Chapter Eleven:

**(A/N: From now on when I say the Quartet in the normal writing I am referring to Aphrodite, Hermione, Draco and Neville, just thought I'd clear that up as Ron is not talking to the girls for becoming friends with Draco also because he is jealous of the relationship between Aph and Oliver.)**

"**Chapter Nine, The Midnight Duel." **Frank read.

"WHAT?!" shouted all the adults in the room.

"Dad, could you please just read?" Neville asked.

**Aphrodite had never believed she would meet a boy she hated more than Dudley, but that was before she met Draco Malfoy. **

"Really? Dudley used to hit you and you hated Malfoy more?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, all Dudley did was hit me, he never made fun of my friends or rub it in my face about my dead parents." Aphrodite said.

"I really am sorry Aph." Draco said.

"Its fine Dray, we're friends' now best friends in fact. You don't need to apologise every time you do something in the book as you've already made up for it." Aphrodite smiled.

"Sometimes Aph, you're too kind for your own good." Draco said with a shake of his head.

**Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.**

**"Typical," said Aphrodite darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." **

James' face lit up but then fell again; his daughter didn't inherit his flying ability but her mother's. Aphrodite however couldn't wait until after the flying lessons.

**She had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

**"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."**

"It's not really, he's pretty good but the Gryffindor Seeker is better." Neville said. Aphrodite grinned at her friend while James looked over at Neville hoping to get some information. Neville didn't say anything else so Frank kept reading.

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams **

"That does suck; I always hated that rule, that and the one that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks." Sirius said with a pout, folding his arms across his chest as James and Frank nodded their agreement, completely missing the smirk on Aphrodite's face.

**And told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.**

**He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. **

"You did what now?" Charlie asked glaring at his younger brother. Mrs. Weasley was looking worriedly at her youngest son.

"It was your old one so it doesn't matter." Ron said with a shrug.

"That is not the point Ron, you don't take my things without asking and I know I wasn't home but there is this thing called Owl Post." Charlie glared.

**Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared the dormitory with Ron, about football. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Neville told Aphrodite he had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham football team, trying to make the players move. **

Lily, Hermione, Aphrodite, Tonks and Ted started laughing.

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Aphrodite felt she'd had good reason, **

"Hey," Neville said glaring mockingly at Aphrodite with crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sorry Nev," Aphrodite said with a smile. Neville smiled back and waved it off.

**Because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. ****This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called '**_**Quidditch Through the Ages'**_**. **

"You can't learn how to fly through a book, its hands on experience that helps you learn." James said.

"I know that now, and I still don't like flying." Hermione said.

**Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. **

"I was a little over the top, sorry." Hermione said.

"Its fine Mione, you were just nervous." Aphrodite said. They smiled and Frank continued reading.

**Aphrodite hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. ****"It's a Remembrall!" he explained.**

"Those things are completely useless." Lily said.

"How do you know?" James asked.

"I had one." Alice answered. "Neville has my memory and I brought one of them in Hogsmeade, they're completely useless."

"See Nev, I told you, you were more like your parents then you thought you were, you just need more confidence but you're getting there." Aphrodite said with a reassuring smile.

"I know and it's all thanks to you Aph." Neville smiled making her blush.

**"Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…" His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "… you've forgotten something…"**

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.**

**Aphrodite and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash. **

"Of course I can, I taught those three and it has helped me spot trouble." McGonagall said.

"Glad we can help," James said with a grin.

"And yet people still cause me trouble now." McGonagall said. The twins and the quartet smirked.

**"What's going on?"**

**"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."**

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.**

**"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

**At three-thirty that afternoon, Aphrodite, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.**

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Aphrodite had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.**

**Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. **

"Why do you always use animals?" Neville asked.

"You'll find out later," Aphrodite said with a smile over at her dad.

**"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."**

**Aphrodite glanced down at her broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.**

"They've gotten worse." James mumbled.

**"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"**

**"UP" everyone shouted.**

**Aphrodite's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did.**

"You're a natural!"James and Frank shouted, but then James frowned over at his daughter.

"Then how come you said you sucked?" James asked staring at his daughter. Aphrodite smiled at him and now he was mentally berating himself for falling for something like that, while everyone laughed that he got pranked by his own daughter.

"Were you lying about hating Quidditch?" Frank asked, James looked over at his daughter with hope shining in his eyes but Aphrodite didn't answer and just signalled for Frank to continue.

**Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Aphrodite;**

"Interesting theory," Dumbledore said.

**There was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.**

**"Up!" said Ron again only to have it whack him in the face, **

Everyone laughed.

**Aphrodite couldn't help but laugh. "Shut up Aph," he said as Aphrodite giggled behind her hand. ****Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Aphrodite and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years. **

**"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —" ****But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips. ****"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Aphrodite saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —WHAM —**

"Were you alright?" Alice and Lily asked worriedly.

"Yeah, Madame Pomfrey healed me in a second." Neville said. They nodded happy that he wasn't too badly hurt and Frank continued reading.

**A thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.** **Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**"Broken wrist," Aphrodite heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."** **She turned to the rest of the class.** **"**_**None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing understand! If I see a single broom in the air the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'**_** Come on, dear."**

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.** **No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.** **"Did you see his face, the great lump?"The other Slytherins joined in.**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.**

**"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."**

"She was just looking out for him, that doesn't mean that she likes him." Lily said. James held her closer and Lily calmed down.

**"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."**

**The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.**

**"Give that here, Malfoy," said Aphrodite quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.**

**Malfoy smiled nastily.** **"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"**

**"Give it here!" Aphrodite yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well.**

"You can out fly him, Honey. Potter's are natural fliers." James said. Aphrodite smiled at her dad who still looked sad and she started to feel bad for playing the prank on her dad. Oliver seeing the look on her face whispered into her ear, "Don't worry Love he'll understand that it was only a prank." Aphrodite nodded and kissed Oliver on the lips in thanks.

**Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"**

**Aphrodite grabbed her broom.** **"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."**

"You really lightened up Hermione." Fred said.

"Yeah, what happened?" George asked.

"I became friends with Aph." Hermione said smiling at Aphrodite who smiled back.

**Aphrodite ignored Hermione. Blood was pounding in her ears. She mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up she soared; air rushed through her hair, and her robes whipped out behind her — and in a rush of fierce joy she realized she'd found something she could do without being taught — this was easy, this was wonderful.**

James, Sirius, Remus, Oliver, Frank and McGonagall smiled proudly at her.

**She pulled her broomstick up a little to take it even higher and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**She turned her broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.**

**"Give it here," Aphrodite called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"**

**"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

"Of course he did, you were raised by Muggles and you looked like you have been flying for years." Neville said. Aphrodite smiled at her friend who smiled back at her. Oliver looked jealous but he knew that Neville only felt like she was just his baby sister.

**Aphrodite knew, somehow, what to do. She leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Aphrodite made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.**

**"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Aphrodite called.**

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**

**"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.**

**Aphrodite saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. She leaned forward and pointed her broom handle down — next second she was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in her ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — she stretched out her hand — a foot from the ground she caught it, just in time to pull her broom straight, and she toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in her fist. **

"Sweet Merlin, you caught that on a school broom?" James asked staring at his daughter wide eyed.

"Yes," Aphrodite said blushing a little.

"I couldn't do that on a school broom in first year." Charlie said.

"That's what McGonagall said later." Aphrodite said. James, Sirius and Frank were now trying to figure out what McGonagall had to do with this; Aph didn't get into too much trouble for this did she?

**"APHRODITE POTTER!" **

"It's McGonagall," James, Sirius and Frank groaned.

"Don't worry; you'll probably just get a detention, nothing more." Remus said as he hasn't heard how Aphrodite had got onto the team. Aphrodite smiled at them and they really started to hate it now.

**Her heart sank faster than she'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them.** **She got to her feet, trembling.**

**"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —" **

"What were you going to say?" James asked. McGonagall looked at James with a small smile.

"Never in all my time at Hogwarts had I seen anyone dive like that." McGonagall said. James looked at her and she gave him a smile that he rarely seen before. What the hell was going on?

**Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how dare you — might have broken your neck —"**

**"It wasn't her fault, Professor —"**

**"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"**

**"But Malfoy —"**

**"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."**

**Aphrodite caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as she left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. She was going to be expelled, she just knew it.**

**She wanted to say something to defend herself, but there seemed to be something wrong with her voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at her; she had to jog to keep up. Now she'd done it. She hadn't even lasted two weeks. She'd be packing her bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursley's say when she turned up on the doorstep?**

**Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to her. **

"My apologies, Miss Potter, I didn't mean to worry you." McGonagall said. Aphrodite just gave her a smile that told her that it was alright as she snuggled deeper into Oliver's chest.

**She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Aphrodite trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking her to Dumbledore. She thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps she could be Hagrid's assistant. Her stomach twisted as she imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards, while she stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag. **

People laughed while Aphrodite glared at them and Oliver kissed her to stop her glaring.

**Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.**

**"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"**

**Wood? Thought Aphrodite, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on her?**

"No, I would never do that." McGonagall said agast. She looked at the young girl curled into Oliver's side.

"I know I was just used to getting punished like that for every little thing I did wrong." Aphrodite mumbled. McGonagall turned to the headmaster and glared at him.

"She is never going back there Albus, you should have listened to me that night." McGonagall said.

"What's past is past, we can't change it but we can change the future." Dumbledore said.

"Don't worry Baby; I won't ever let you go back." Oliver promised.

_**But Wood turned out to be the burly, handsome fifth-year boy who had stood up for her at the Sorting feast. Who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused looking from Professor McGonagall and Aphrodite who was still holding her broom curiously.**_

**"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, **_**Wood smiling at Aphrodite making her blush.**_

"Aww, you too are so cute together but you too were so blind it was unbelievable everyone could see you both loved each other but neither of you did anything until the summer before our fourth year." Hermione said shaking her head.

Sirius let out his bark-like laugh. "I wonder who that sounds like." Sirius asked Remus, Frank and Alice.

"I don't know Sirius it sure does sound like James and Lily to me in seventh-year." Frank said simply.

"Shut up." Lily grumbled glaring at her laughing friends.

**"In here."** **Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

**"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two students.**

**"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."**

"What!" James, Sirius, Remus and Frank shouted.

"You made the team in first year?" Sirius asked. Aphrodite nodded and everyone began laughing.

"You tricked us, this whole time. Pretending to suck at flying, not liking Quidditch." Frank said. Aphrodite nodded and James came over and grabbed her in a big hug.

"I'm so proud!" James said.

"It was very good, not many people could pull one on us. But then again you are the daughter of Prongs and Lily so I shouldn't be surprised." Sirius said.

"You earned yourself a marauder point for that one." James said. Aphrodite smiled as she was still be hugged by her father.

"Um dad, can you let me go?" Aphrodite asked. James let her go with a kiss to her temple and sat back next to Lily who kissed him. He was still beaming, his daughter, and the youngest seeker in a century, he was so proud.

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.** **"Are you serious, Professor?"**

**"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"**

"No it wasn't Sirius brought you a toy broomstick for your first birthday." James said with a frown.

"Really?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yep." Sirius said. "We couldn't get you off of it and James said you were going to be a great Quidditch player when you were older."

"And I was right." James cheered. "My daughter is the youngest seeker in a century. I'm so proud."

**Aphrodite nodded silently. She didn't have a clue what was going on, but she didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to her legs.**

**"She caught that thing in her hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch herself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."**

"True, it would have taken me a few years." Charlie said. Aphrodite hid in her hair as it turned a fusia colour which told her friends that she was embarrassed.

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.** **"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.**

**"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.**

**"She's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Aphrodite and staring at her, **_**making her blush harder and her hair start to turn fusia making Wood smile at her**_**. "Light —speedy — we'll have to get her a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."**

"I miss my Nimbus," Aphrodite said.

"What happened to it?" James asked.

"Third book," Sirius, the trio, Oliver and the twins said.

**"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"**

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Aphrodite.** **"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."** **Then she suddenly smiled.** **"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."**

"Proud isn't the word, more like ecstatic." James said. Aphrodite looked happily at her dad who was smiling back at her.

**"You're joking." It was dinnertime. Aphrodite had just finished telling Ron what had happened when she'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.**

"Now that's impressive. You made a Weasley forget about food." Remus said.

**"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never — you must be the youngest house player in about —"**

"— **a century," said Aphrodite, shovelling pie into her mouth. She felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."**

**Ron was so amazed, so impressed; he just sat and gaped at Aphrodite.**

"That's kind of creepy when he does that." Aphrodite whispered to Oliver who held her tighter and kissed her hair he was so proud of her even though he was their when it happened.

**"I start training next week," said Aphrodite. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret." _Then Aphrodite thought of something, she had never really thanked McGonagall for letting her on the team. _**

_**"Ron, I'm just going to go and see her quickly alright?" she said "I won't be long. Don't eat everything."** **She rose from her seat as Ron said 'Oy!' and speed out of the hall. Running she was almost to the office when she heard voices coming from inside. **_

_**"The Gryffindor girls dorm is full," she heard McGonagall say. "If Miss Midgeon really wishes to come to Hogwarts, I'm afraid the only thing I can offer her is the boys' dorm. We would put up charms to ensure both her and her dorm mates privacy."**_

_**"No, Eloise, I'm sorry but you are not." said another women's voice.**_

_**"Mum please!" wailed a little girl who must be Eloise. Aphrodite was struck with a sudden idea. She knocked on the door. **_

_**"Come in," she heard McGonagall say, she opened the door and came inside towards the desk where three people were sat. McGonagall was sat behind hands together on the desk. While two chairs opposite her had a women who was fairly short thought very thin, moose coloured her and dull brown eyes she reminded Aphrodite of a Hyena. Beside her was a girl around Aphrodite age who resembled her mother greatly though had several spots across her nose. **_

"This is how you ended up in the boys' dorm." Sirius said.

"Yeah, and Nev treats me like I'm his baby sister even though I'm a **day **younger than him." Aphrodite said with a huff and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You know you look really cute when you look like that." Oliver whispered huskily into her ear causing Aph to shiver and a blush to appear on her cheeks.

Neville watched the interaction between Oliver and Aph and smiled happy that she had found someone to take care of her. "Well you are my baby sister and who else would stop Seamus, Ron and Dean from harassing you." Neville asked though there was a hint of anger in his voice as he glared over at the youngest Weasley son.

"What do you mean?" James demanded fearing the worse of what those boys could have done to his baby girl.

"Nothing like that they just keep pestering her to go out with them when they know she is going out with Oliver, and I'm the only one in our dorm who sticks up for her." Neville said.

"I know Nev and I'm grateful thank you." Aphrodite smiled.

"You're welcome Aph." Neville smiled back at her.

_**"Potter, what can I help you with?" said McGonagall. Both mother and daughter's eyes bulged. **_

_**"Potter?" said the women "As in Aphrodite Potter!"**_

_**"The very same," said McGonagall stiffly.**_

"I could tell that you hated it." McGonagall said smiling at Aphrodite.

"Thank you Professor," Aphrodite said giving her teacher a smile.

_**"Oh, mummy please! I really want to come here now; I'll be with Aphrodite Potter!"**_

_**"Professor?" said Aphrodite timidly, trying to ignore the two awed stares. "If you don't mind, I overheard about the dorms. If you could maybe... Eloise could take my bed and I'll move?"**__**The girl jumped up and hugged Aphrodite fiercely. Aphrodite went stiff and Eloise let go of her and Aphrodite backed away a little bit. **_

"I wasn't used to being hugged." Aphrodite muttered.

"Are you used to it now?" Lily asked sadly at her daughter.

"Yeah, it takes a while at the start of every school year but I get used to it until I go back to the Dursley's again, but this summer it wasn't as bad as Ollie came to Privet Drive most of the summer and he always held me." Aphrodite said. Sirius and Remus growled as Aphrodite's hair went back to her black but tints of red in it. Oliver held her closer as Lily and James were silently cryin and holding each other.

_**"Thank you Aphrodite Potter thank you!" she cried. **_

_**"The Dursley's won't reply to an owl, professor." She added. "Even if they did I don't think they'd care."**_

_**"Only if you're sure, Potter, this is a very big thing?" Aphrodite nodded. McGonagall took a deep breath. **_

_**"Well arrangements shall be made," she said "and as for you Miss Midgeon I shall see you next term in Transfiguration." Midgeon looked ready to hug Aphrodite again but seeing her discomfort her mother got up to go, **_

_**"Come on, Eloise" said her mother "We'll go and buy you books" Eloise jumped up and headed for the door excitedly. Her mother looked at Aphrodite. **__**"Thank you" she said warmly. "You look a lot like your dad, except the eyes, Lily's eyes" **_

"You are going to be hearing that a lot aren't you?" James asked.

"Yeah, but I like it even though people think it gets annoying, but I don't I like hearing about you guys it makes me feel closer to you both." Aphrodite said. Her parents smiled at her and she smiled back at them.

_**Aphrodite was about to ask if she had known her parents well when McGonagall spoke.**_

"I'm sorry Miss Potter; I didn't realize that you wanted to ask that." McGonagall said looking at her embarrassed student.

"It's alright Professor, I found out more about them since third year." Aphrodite said smiling at her adoptive father and papa, they smiled back at her.

_**"Potter, what did you wish to see me for? Surely you wanted something?" Aphrodite looked at her confused, then she remembered the whole reason she was there in the first place. **_

_**"Oh yeah, I wanted to thank you, you know for letting me on the team." She finished timidly. **_

_**McGonagall smiled, "I'm sure you'll do most admirably. You may go" Aphrodite left the room and ran once again to tell Ron what had just happened.**_

_**"Really!" he said in and exited voice Aphrodite nodded. "Wicked! I'll tell them later!" nodding at Seamus, Dean and Neville. **_

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Aphrodite, and hurried over.**

**"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters." Aphrodite looked at them and grinned. In the excitement of being in a dorm with Ron, she had forgotten even that she had made the team. **

George looked over at Fred and then at Oliver and then winked at Fred, Fred nodded to show he got the message.

"She looked cute when she was confused," George stage- whispered to Fred.

"Yeah she does, even more so when she's embarrassed." Fred stage-whispered back glancing at Oliver to see him glaring at them.

"Can you two stop hitting on my girlfriend!?" Oliver shouted.

"Oh, but Ollie..." Fred started.

"Why can't you share...?" George

"Her cause we love her too." They finished together. But they stopped when they saw Aphrodite glaring at them her hair turning the same colour red has her mother's.

"Will you too quit teasing Ollie?" Aphrodite said her hair still bright red, she then turned to Oliver and kissed him on the lips when they parted Aphrodite said, "Ignore them Ollie you know how they are and you don't need to worry about me going with anyone else as I don't want anyone else but you."

Oliver kissed her back. "I know I have never doubted that for a minute and I know they were only teasing but I still don't like them saying that to you." Oliver said and kissed her on the nose making Aphrodite giggle and her hair to turn to bright purple which her friends realised that it meant she was really happy.

"Sorry Ollie we didn't mean to upset you." The twins said sincerely. Oliver nodded and held Aphrodite closer to him.

**"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Aphrodite, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."**

"I was skipping." Oliver laughed. Making everyone else laugh as they pictured him skipping.

"He really was skipping; it was kinda creepy to watch." George said with a grimace. Oliver glared at them but stopped as he heard Aphrodite start laughing and started tickling her.

"O-Ollie s-stop i-it." Aphrodite said in-between laughs, tears starting to run down her face.

"Do you give up?" Oliver asked.

"N-no."

"Then I'm afraid I can't let you up unless you give up and say uncle." Oliver said with a dramatic sigh. After a few minutes tears were running down her face unchecked and she was finding it hard to breathe through her laughter.

"O-okay O-Ollie, u-uncle." Aphrodite said. Oliver stopped tickling her and let her up and held her to his chest as she was gasping for breath and he kissed her on the nose as everyone smiled at them and Frank continued reading.

**"Anyway, we've got to go; Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."**

**"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you." **

"I forgot to ask but was it?" Aphrodite asked now she had caught her breath.

"It was," the twins said laughing a little bit.

"They are good," James whispered to Sirius and Remus. Who just nodded in agreement.

**Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.** **"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" **

James looked like he wanted to say something but didn't as he knew Draco had apologised and was friends with his baby girl now.

**"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Aphrodite coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl. **

**"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"**

**"Of course she has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm her second, who's yours?"**

"RON!" Mr. Weasley shouted. "What have I told you about that you never, ever accept duels for someone else."

"I had too; I didn't want her to look stupid." Ron said reluctantly.

"Next time, please don't accept a duel for my daughter." Lily said.

"Too bad you can't think that now Ron I don't understand why you can't just me my friend and accept Draco is my friend as well and forgive him, I've told you loads of times since third year it wasn't his fault it was his fathers and I thought it was put behind us as you was sort of nice to me and Mione last year at one point. But now I know everything was a lie." Aphrodite said sadly. Oliver held her closer to him rubbing soothing circles on her back and he pressed a kiss into her sweet smelling hair, which always smelled of Passion flower and pear, while Ron glared at them as Oliver kissed her.

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.**

**"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."**

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Aphrodite looked at each other.** **"What is a wizard's duel?" said Aphrodite. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"**

**"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Aphrodite's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards.**

"So we're not real witches and wizards?" Fred asked feeling hurt.

"All we know is lie!" George yelled. The twins were mock crying so Frank continued reading.

**The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."**

**"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"**

**"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.**

**"Excuse me."** **They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

**"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.**

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to Aphrodite.** **"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"**

**"Bet you could," Ron muttered, Aphrodite glared at him making him shut up before turning back to Hermione.**

**"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."**

**"And it's really none of your business," said Aphrodite shyly.**

**"Good-bye," said Ron.**

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, **

"It kind of wasn't." Aphrodite sighed.

**Aphrodite thought, as she lay awake much later listening to Hermione, Lavender and Parvati sleeping. Ron had spent all evening giving her advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." She was concentrating on that now. **

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Aphrodite felt she was pushing her luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was her big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. She couldn't miss it.**

"And there's your father's genes coming out in you." Lily said rubbing her face.

"Hey," James said pouting. Lily giggled and kissed his cheek.

**At half-past eleven she snuck out ready to meet Ron. She pulled on her bathrobes, picked up her wand, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. **

**"Alright?" said Ron when he saw her. **

**She nodded "Let's do this."**

**They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from behind them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Aphrodite."**

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.**

**"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"**

**"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."**

"Ouch, the family card." Sirius said.

"Now I can see why you were so annoyed with me. I was unbearable." Hermione said.

"You got better after Halloween. So don't worry about anything." Aphrodite said.

**Aphrodite couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.** **Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.** **"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."**

**"Go away."**

**"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"** **But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a night-time visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.** **"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.**

"That really sucks; too bad you guys don't have the right things." James said.

"Christmas," Aphrodite said with a grin. James' face lit up and Frank shook his head at his friend before he continued with a smile.

**"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go; we're going to be late."** **They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.** **"I'm coming with you," she said.**

**"You are not."**

**"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."**

"That's really brave of you, and did you really think that would work and Filch hates students so he wouldn't listen." Bill said.

"True, I didn't think about it and Aph would of said that but Ron wouldn't and Aph will keep repeating that until someone listened, she doesn't like getting people into trouble." Hermione said with a slight blush.

**"You've got some nerve —" said Ron loudly.**

**"Shut up, both of you!" said Aphrodite sharply. "I heard something."**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

**"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.**

**It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville.**

"What were you doing out there?" Lily asked. Neville didn't say anything just mumbled and blushed.

**He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.** **"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours; I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed." **

"Alice had the same problem; it's one of the many reasons why she kept me around." Lily said with a smile as Alice huffed and crossed her arms over her chest with a pout on her face making Frank laugh and lean over Neville to kiss his wife on the cheek making Neville move to sit next to Draco.

**"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now; the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."**

**"How's your arm?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute." **

"So where did you go?" Lily asked.

"Professor Sprout, I'm really good at Herbology." Neville said.

"Me too." Alice said. Neville smiled and Frank continued reading.

**"Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —"**

**"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."**

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.** **"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you." **

"I'm really good at that spell." Ginny said.

"We know," the twins and Ron said.

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Aphrodite hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.**

**They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Aphrodite expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.** **Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet.**

**The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Aphrodite took out her wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once.** **The minutes crept by.**

**"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.**

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Aphrodite had only just raised her wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.**

**"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."**

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Aphrodite waved madly at the other three to follow her as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.**

**"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."**

"Malfoy snitched on you!" Sirius shouted.

Aphrodite glared over at Sirius and then switched her glare over to Draco as she knew he was about to apologise.

**"This way!" Aphrodite mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armour. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, grabbed Aphrodite around the waist,**

"Hey, get your hands off of my daughter/girlfriend." James, Sirius, Remus and Oliver said.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself." Neville said with a light laugh.

"Alright," they huffed. Aphrodite giggled and Oliver caught his breath again, he loved to hear her laugh it made his heart swell it was so sweet and refreshing. _'Just like her.' _He thought.

**And the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armour. **

**The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

**"RUN!" Aphrodite yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Aphrodite in the lead,**

"She's fast, it's crazy. No one can keep up with her." Draco said.

"What can I say, I had loads of practice." Aphrodite said. Everyone's faces fell, she shouldn't have had to run to get out of a beating, and she should have never been beaten in the first place.

**without any idea where they were or where they were going — they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room. **

**"I think we've lost him," Aphrodite panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping her forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.**

**"I —told — you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."**

"Now isn't the time," Remus said.

**"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."**

**"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Aphrodite. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."**

**Aphrodite thought she was probably right, but she wasn't going to tell her that. **

Hermione glared at her and Aphrodite grinned at her.

**"Let's go."** **It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.** **It was Peeves.** **He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.**

**"Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out."**

**Peeves cackled.** **"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty." **

The pranksters grinned, Peeves was a good friend and yet an enemy as well.

**"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."**

**"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."**

**"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves**

"Bad idea, very bad idea." Sirius groaned. Ron glared at him but didn't say anything from the glare Aphrodite was giving him.

**This was a big mistake.** **"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"** **Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.**

**"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"**

"A bit dramatic aren't you Ickle Ronnikins." Fred and George said.

"Shut up." Ron grumbled glaring at the twins.

**They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves' shouts.**

"**Oh, be quiet Ron." Aphrodite snapped she tapped the lock with her wand as it was still in her hand, and whispered, **_**"'Alohomora!" **_

**The lock clicked and the door swung open — **

"That's all it took!" shouted McGonagall as she turned to glare at Dumbledore confusing the rest of the room who didn't know what was behind that door.

**They piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

**"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."**

**"Say 'please.'"**

**"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"**

**"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves**

"Good, he won't say anything." James said.

"How do you know?" Mrs. Weasley asked glaring she didn't think they were responsible enough to raise Aph all they did was joke and mess around '_not good parenting at al'. _She thought.

"Prankster always knows, plus he used a double negative" James said.

**In his annoying singsong voice.**

**"All right —please."**

**"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha, ha! Haaaaaa!"**

"See?" Sirius laughed.

**And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**"He thinks this door is locked," Aphrodite whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get off, Neville!"**

Aphrodite's father, her two adoptive fathers' and Oliver growled. Neville grinned sheepishly but Aphrodite glared at the three of them.

**For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Aphrodite's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"**

**Aphrodite turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, she was sure she'd walked into a nightmare — this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.**

**They weren't in a room, as she had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.**

"Get the bloody hell out of there!" Lily, Alice and Mrs Weasley yelled. James got up and grabbed Aphrodite and brought her back to the couch that he was sharing with Lily, Sirius and Remus and held Aphrodite tight to his chest, while Alice pulled Neville back over to her and Frank and held him while Frank continued to read as Mrs Weasley was also holding Ron. Aphrodite looked over at Hermione and saw that Bill had his arms wrapped tightly around her and she smirked over at her friend who just stuck her tongue out at her making Aphrodite laugh.

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Aphrodite knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

**Aphrodite groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, she'd take Filch.**

"You better," Oliver growled though he'd lost the entire colour in his face and looked like he wanted nothing better than to grab Aphrodite back and never let her go.

**They fell backward — Aphrodite slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

**"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.**

**"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted Aphrodite, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.** **It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.**

**"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does." **

"That's what you said?" Sirius asked laughing. Ron's ears went red as he glared at Sirius through his mother's arms.

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?" **

"The floor?" Oliver asked. Frank laughed and everyone looked at him.

**"The floor?" Aphrodite suggested.**

Everyone was now laughing as Oliver and Aphrodite blushed bright red.

**"I wasn't looking at its feet; I was too busy with its heads."**

**"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."**

**She stood up, glaring at them.** **"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled.**

"I do hope you got your priorities straight, Mione." Bill begged.

"Of course," Hermione said with a smile

**Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."**

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open.** **"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you." **

**But Hermione had given Aphrodite something else to think about as she climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something… What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts. **

Hermione groaned making everyone look at her weirdly. "I can't believe I was the one who gave you that idea, well more like obsession to find out about the stone." Aphrodite just smiled at her friend as she got off of her dad's lap and went back over to Oliver who immediately wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her lips.

**It looked as though Aphrodite had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

"That's the chapter." Frank said passing the book to Neville to read, who opened the book to the next chapter and read.

"**Chapter Ten, Halloween." **


	12. Chapter Twelve: Halloween

Chapter Twelve:

"**Chapter 10: Halloween," **Neville read.

Aphrodite and Hermione grinned where the teachers groaned and paled.

**Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Aphrodite and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by the next morning Aphrodite and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. **

"Are you trying to give me grey hairs?" Sirius asked. Aphrodite looked sheepish and leaned into Oliver. Everyone smiled at them as Neville continued reading

**In the meantime, Aphrodite filled Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.** **"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.**

"Or both," Moody said.

**"Or both," said Aphrodite. **

"I feel sorry for you Aph, for having Mad-eye think like you." She said with a shake of her head.

"And what is wrong with the way I think it has kept me alive." Moody growled pointing his wand at Tonks.

"Nothing Mad-eye it was a joke." Tonks said with her palms up in surrender. Moody grunted and then turned to Aphrodite with something akin to a smile spreading across his face.

"Good job girlie Constant Vigilance." He praised Aphrodite who smiles back at him and making everyone look at them in shock; nobody had ever gotten a smile out for Moody.

**But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues. Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor.** **All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again. **

"And I didn't," Neville said smirking at the trio.

"Shut Nev," the trio said. The adults groaned and Oliver held her tighter and kissed her head. This caused Aphrodite to turn red and her hair to turn a teal colour.

"She really loves them," Draco whispered to Hermione.

"Yeah, if she wants to hide her emotions she should gain more control over her Metamorphagus ability." Hermione whispered. Draco nodded and Neville continued reading.

**Hermione was now refusing to speak to Aphrodite and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus.**

"How in the world did you three become friends?" Tonks asked.

"You'll find out in this chapter." Aphrodite said.

"Will we like it?" Sirius asked.

"Probably not," Hermione said. The adults groaned and Neville continued.

**All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later. As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. **

"That probably wasn't the most subtly way for her to get the broom, Professor." George said.

"I know, now that I think about it I could have sent it to her privately." McGonagall said.

**Aphrodite was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of her, knocking her bacon to the floor. ****They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. ****Aphrodite ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:**

**_DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE._**

**_It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session._**

**_Professor McGonagall _**

James was jumping up and down in his seat looking very excited and Lily had to place a hand on his arm to calm him down.

"I know dad loves Quidditch, but I didn't know he was this much of a fanatic he could rival you Babe." Aphrodite said with a smile.

"Why you cheeky little minx what am I going to do with you?" Oliver said in fake wonder.

"That's why you love me." Aphrodite said. Oliver kissed her chastely on the lips and when they parted for air he said. "Well I can't disagree with that, otherwise I would be lying."

"Can you two stop that? I don't want to be watching you two kissing all the time it's getting annoying." Ron snapped. Oliver just glared at him but motioned for Neville to continue reading.

**Aphrodite had difficulty hiding her glee so her hair turned bright purple as she handed the note to Ron to read.**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one." **

Aphrodite sighed wishing her friend didn't only care for material things.

**They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Aphrodite and felt it. **

The kids snickered and the adults groaned.

"Can you get your minds out of the gutter?" Hermione asked.

"Not likely to happen anytime soon Mione." Draco said. Hermione sighed and shook her head while Aphrodite giggled because Oliver had lightly touched a ticklish spot on her side.

**"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Aphrodite with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."**

**Ron couldn't resist it.** **"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?"** **Ron grinned at Aphrodite. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus." **

**"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig." **

"I'm really sorry Aph has straightened me out I promise." Draco said.

"Its fine Draco its is all forgiven." Mr Weasley said and all his sons apart from Ron nodded.

**Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.**

**"Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.**

"Oh no, not at all." Tonks said.

**"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.**

**"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Aphrodite. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"**

Everyone including Draco started laughing at Professor Flitwick.

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," said Aphrodite, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," she added. **

"Brilliant!" the twins, James and Sirius yelled.

"Well if Draco didn't steal Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team." Aphrodite said.

"I'm glad to be of service." Draco said as he stood up and bowed to the amusement of the people in the room.

**Aphrodite and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.** **"Well, it's true," Aphrodite chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team…" **

Everyone laughed as Aphrodite blushed and ducked her head as she has just repeated what her younger self had said sort of.

**"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" Came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Aphrodite's hand. "What did you do to your hair, Aphrodite?"**

"**You didn't tell me you could change your appearance." Ron said looking at Aphrodite bright purple hair. **

"**I know that it's rare, I read it in one of the books. It usually only happens when I get really emotional." Aphrodite then turned to Hermione.**

"You really didn't notice that her hair went from black to bright purple?" Lily asked Ron.

"Not at first," Ron said.

"I did, and I wasn't Aph's friend then." Draco said. Ron's ears turned red so Neville continued reading.

"**I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Yes, don't stop now;" said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."**

"I'm sorry Mione." Aphrodite said.

"Its fine Aph I was unbearable back then so don't worry about it." Hermione said with a smile.

**Aphrodite nudged him warningly but Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.** **Aphrodite had a lot of trouble keeping her mind on her lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where her new broomstick was lying under her bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where she'd be learning to play that night.**

"Someone sounds excited." Charlie teased. Aphrodite smiled over at him when she felt herself being pulled closer to Oliver.

"Of course she's excited; she's going to be learning how to play the most amazing game in the world!" James said.

"Yeah and now that she is going out with Oliver she just got worse." Neville said with a shake of his head but he had a fond smile on his face.

**She bolted her dinner that evening without noticing what she was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.** **"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto a table in the common room.** **Even Aphrodite, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.**

James, Sirius and Frank were literally drooling.

"Sirius, James, Frank close your mouths. Sirius you brought Aph an International Standard broom." Remus said but this just made them drool even more, Remus shook his head at them and motioned for Neville to continue.

**As seven o'clock drew nearer, Aphrodite left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. She never has been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded Aphrodite of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.**

"They do look like that though, don't they?" Lily said with a smile towards her daughter. Hermione, Remus, Ted and Tonks nodded as well while the rest of the room looked confused.

**Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Aphrodite mounted her broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling — she swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever she wanted at her lightest touch. **

The Quidditch fanatics sighed dreamily.

**"Hey, Potter, come down!"** **Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Aphrodite landed next to him ****_with a slight blush forming on her cheeks. She then started berating herself for acting like this as she'd never acted like this around a boy before._**

**"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting (****_with what looked like pride and another emotion that Aphrodite couldn't figure out)_****. **

"Oh, Baby I loved you even then especially when you was all excited you looked even cuter than you already did." Oliver whispered into her ear making her blush and kiss his cheek.

**"I see what McGonagall meant… you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, and then you'll be joining team practice three times a week." **

"Practice," Fred said.

"Three days a week," George sighed.

"Oh, how we miss you." Aphrodite said finishing for them. Those who cared and loved them laughed as Oliver kissed her. Bill and Charlie wolf whistled and James, Sirius and Remus glared at him before calming down.

**He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.**

**"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."**

**"Three Chasers," Aphrodite repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a football.**

**"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?" **

**"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Aphrodite recited. "So — that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"**

"What's basketball?" all the purebloods asked.

"It's a Muggle sports, sort of like Quidditch but with two hoops at either end and without the brooms and you have to get a ball which is sort of like the Quaffle through the hoop of the opposing team." Aphrodite said.

**"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.**

**"****_It's a Muggle sport sort of like Quidditch, but with two hoops one at each end and you have to score points with a large red ball._****" said Aphrodite quickly.**

"You don't need to repeat yourself Bambi." Oliver said.

"That is actually one nickname we didn't think of." Sirius said.

"Really?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yeah, we called used to call you Prongslet, pup or cub." Remus said. Aphrodite blushed and the twins chuckled.

"That is our new nickname for you." Oliver said. Aphrodite blushed even brighter and her hair turned fusia again.

**_"_****_Oh, okay maybe you can show me one time." Oliver said winking at her making Aphrodite's cheeks burn a darker red._**

"Ollie pop how could you!" cried Fred and George in scorn over Oliver wanting to play basketball, making the room laugh.

**"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper — I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."**

**"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Aphrodite, who was determined to remember it all. **

**"And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" She pointed at the three balls left inside the box.**

**"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."** **He handed Aphrodite a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.** **"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."**

**He showed Aphrodite two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Aphrodite noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.**

**"Stand back," Wood warned Aphrodite. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.**

**At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Aphrodite's face. Aphrodite swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking her nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air — it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground. **

"You would make a fair beater." Sirius and the twins said. Aphrodite smiled and Neville continued reading.

**"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team — the Weasley twins are ours — it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So — think you've got all that?"**

**"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Aphrodite reeled off.**

**"Very good," said Wood.**

**"Er — have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Aphrodite asked, hoping she sounded offhand.**

"Not at Hogwarts," everyone said.

"I know now," Aphrodite said blushing. Oliver chuckled and held her close and started playing with her hair (which was still down from their own time).

**"Never at Hogwarts.**

Everyone blushed while Aphrodite giggled at the look on the twins' face for saying the same as Oliver.

**We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. **

"Unless you have an incompetent teacher try and heal your break and instead of healing it completely removing the bones." Aphrodite said rubbing her arm, Oliver bent down to kiss her arm making her smile.

"Let me guess this happens to you?" Sirius asked.

"Second book." All the kids said.

**Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers —"**

**"— unless they crack my head open."**

**"Don't worry, the Weasley's are more than a match for the Bludgers — I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves." **

"We're touched, that is the most touching thing you have ever said about us Ollie pop." George said wiping a fake tear.

"Why do you keep calling him 'Ollie pop'?" Alice asked curious.

Oliver glared over at them daring them to answer. Fred smirked at him and said. "Inside joke."

**Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.**

Aphrodite, James and Charlie smiled, they loved the little snitch.

**"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. **

"The Seeker is the best position." James said with Charlie nodding along.

"No it's not." argued all the Beaters, Chasers and Keeper in the room.

**You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. **

"Like the World Cup last year." Bill said.

"That reminds me, how did you two know that would happen?" Aphrodite asked the twins.

"A hunch," the twins said shrugging. James and Frank looked excited so Neville kept reading before they got a chance to ask questions.

**That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages — I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep. **

"That would have been an awesome game." James and Draco said.

"Is it a good thing that dad and my best friend said the same thing?" Aphrodite asked Remus.

"Absolutely," Remus said. Aphrodite giggled while James and Draco huffed.

**"Well, that's it any questions?"**

**Aphrodite shook her head. She understood what she had to do all right; it was doing it that was going to be the problem.**

"Don't worry, you'll do brilliant." James said smiling at his daughter. Aphrodite smiled back at her dad and Oliver held her closer and whispered, "You're joking right. You're better than any Seeker I've seen including on my team and I'm not just saying that because you're my girlfriend I mean it." Aphrodite smiled at him and pecked him on the lips.

**"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."**

**He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Aphrodite were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Aphrodite to catch.**

**Aphrodite didn't miss a single one, **

"I didn't even catch every single one." Charlie and James said slightly upset, but James was looking proudly at his daughter.

**And Wood was delighted ****_he kissed Aphrodite's forehead making her heart flutter as she blushed crimson red and her hair turned fusia_****. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.**

**"That Quidditch Cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons." **

Aphrodite looked down at that still ashamed she had made Gryffindor have the worst defeat in years. As if Oliver had read her thoughts he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her neck and then whispered onto her neck sending shivers down her spine. "It's not your fault Baby it's that bastards fault for what he did to you. I didn't blame you then and I never will."

**Perhaps it was because she was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all her homework, but Aphrodite could hardly believe it when she realized that she'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. **

"You shouldn't have had to feel this way." Sirius said.

"Siri, it's fine, I've gotten used to it. Besides in this room is my family, minus a few people." Aphrodite said. Everyone was happy to hear that minus the few people that weren't very happy to be there.

**Her lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.** **On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.**

**Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. ****_Aphrodite's partner was Neville as he had asked her before hand to help him as she was good at Charms and Neville was her friend so she agreed to help him. On the table next to theirs Seamus Finnigan was working with her other dorms mate Dean Thomas (she had moved into the boys' dorm at the beginning of October)._**

"Thanks for helping me Aph." Neville said.

"Its fine Nev, don't worry about it." Aphrodite said smiling back at Neville.

**Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger.**

**It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Aphrodite's broomstick had arrived. Before she had moved into the boys' dormitory she didn't say goodnight like she used too.**

Hermione looked a little guilty but Aphrodite gave her a smile telling her to forget it.

**"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor** **Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly are very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."**

"That doesn't really work." Sirius said.

"Do we even want to know?" Lily asked.

"Not really," James and Sirius said.

**Aphrodite curious to if she could do it whispered "Wingardium Leviosa" her feather began to float! It then rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.**

**"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Potter's done it! Ten points to Gryffindor."**

"Well done Sweetheart." Lily said smiling proudly at her daughter as well as James, Sirius and Remus.

**_Aphrodite blushed and lowered her feather and saw Hermione and Ron were glaring at her. She felt hurt and then jumped as she felt someone awkwardly rubbing her back, she looked to her left and saw that it was Neville looking at her concerned she smiled at him and then proceeded to help him to try and do the spell. _**

"I'm sorry Aph." Hermione apologised.

"Its fine Mio don't worry about it." Aphrodite said smiling reassuringly at her friend.

**On the next table Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather he and Dean were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it — Aphrodite leaned over to put it out with her hat.** **Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.** **"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.**

**"You're saying it wrong," Aphrodite heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa; make the 'gar' nice and long."**

**"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.**

"You don't need to be so rude Ron; Hermione was just trying to help you." Bill snarled.

**Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"** **Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.**

**"Oh, well done, Miss Granger!" cried Professor Flitwick, Five points to Gryffindor!"**

**_Aphrodite went back to help Neville who was saying he was hopeless. Aphrodite told him firmly but kindly that he wasn't hopeless and all he needed was a little confidence and that he could do as she believed he could. Neville smiled at her and then whispered shyly, "Wingardium Leviosa." The feather rose a few inches of the desk and then he quickly lowered it and gave Aphrodite bone-crushing hug as kept saying "Thank you." Over and over again._**

Everyone was looking at Aphrodite in pride that she had encouraged Neville do the spell. "Miss Potter, I think you would make a fantastic teacher, and if you change your mind about your career I would be more than happy to help you if you choose to go into teaching." McGonagall said.

"Thank you Professor." Aphrodite smiled at her favourite Professor and got a rare smile in return.

**Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.** **"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Aphrodite as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly." **

**_Aphrodite glared at Ron. "Don't be so rude Ron she was just trying to help you."_**_**But Ron just huffed and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'Yeah right'. **_**Someone knocked into Aphrodite as they hurried past her. It was Hermione. Aphrodite caught a glimpse of her face — and was startled to see that she was in tears.** **"I think she heard you."**

**"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends." **

"Ron!" Mr. Weasley snarled.

**_"Don't be so mean." said Aphrodite, wondering if she could go after her, but she didn't know whether she would want Aphrodite's presence. _**

"You're such a sweet girl." Lily said. Aphrodite blushed and her hair turned fusia again.

"Don't be embarrassed Baby your mums right." Oliver said kissing her hair.

**Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Aphrodite and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds. **

"Sorry Mio, I don't like Halloween but I was just fascinated by the decorations." Aphrodite mumbled ashamed of herself for forgetting about Hermione as her hair turned to a dark blue which her friends knew that she was really upset and angry at herself.

"Aph, don't worry about it I would of just told you to go away. There's no need to be upset." Hermione said as she got up and held Aphrodite in a tight hug.

**A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.** **Aphrodite was just helping herself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.**

"There is something wrong with that turban." Remus whispered.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Look at Aph, every time this teacher is mentioned she turns pale." Remus whispered.

"I'm not sure whether or not I am going to like the cause of this reaction." Sirius said.

**Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know."**

"How did a troll get in?" The Marauders and Lily asked.

**He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.**

"WHAT KIND OF DEFENCE TEACHER IS HE?!" Lily shouted outraged.

"A rubbish one." Aphrodite mumbled but Remus heard her and frowned but didn't say anything.

**There was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.**

**"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"**

**Percy was in his element. **

"Of course he was," The twins growled.

**"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! **

"Did you really think that would work? The first years will be terrified no matter what." Charlie said. Percy's ears turned red and Fred continued reading with a light chuckle.

**Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"**

**"How could a troll get in?" Aphrodite asked as they climbed the stairs.**

**"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."**

"Peeves wouldn't do that." James said frowning.

**They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Aphrodite suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.** **"I've just thought — Hermione." **

"Shit, Hermione doesn't know about the troll!" Sirius cursed.

"Let me guess, you two are going to go and get her." Remus said. Ron and Aphrodite looked sheepish Oliver held her tighter to his chest as Neville continued to read.

**"What about her?"**

**"She doesn't know about the troll."**

**Ron bit his lip.** **"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy better not see us."**

**Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.**

**"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Aphrodite behind a large stone griffin. **

All of them looked over at Percy.

"It wasn't him." Ron said.

**Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view. **

"What are you doing there?" Sirius asked looking at the Potion's Master suspiciously. When Snape didn't respond Neville continued reading.

**"What's he doing?" Aphrodite whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"**

All the Aurors (including Frank, Alice and James as they used to be Aurors) looked over at Snape, who was still ignoring them. 'They will know the truth at the end.' He thought.

**"Search me."**

**Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.**

**"He's heading for the third floor," Aphrodite said, but Ron held up his hand.**

**"Can you smell something?"**

**Aphrodite sniffed and a foul stench reached her nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. **

"Great, it's the Troll." Lily said biting her lip nervously.

**And then they heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed — at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.**

**It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long. The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, and then slouched slowly into the room.**

**"The key's in the lock," Aphrodite muttered. "We could lock it in."**

**"Good idea," said Ron nervously.**

**They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Aphrodite managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.**

"YOU LOCKED ME IN!" Hermione screeched.

"We didn't know you were in there." Ron defended.

"Yeah, what were the odds that it was the bathroom that you were in?" Aphrodite asked.

"It's all your crazy luck working at its best." Hermione said.

"I'm sorry." Aphrodite said automatically. Hermione shook her head and smiled reassuringly saying it was fine.

**"Yes!"** **Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop — a high, petrified scream — and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.**

**"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.**

**"It's the girls' bathroom!" Aphrodite gasped.**

**"Hermione!" they said together. **

"Is it too much to ask that you go and find a teacher?" Lily asked looking hopeful.

"Sorry mum but it would have probably been too late, and you are going to be probably blaming dad for this one." Aphrodite said with a small smile.

"You're right, I am." Lily said looking at James. James looked sheepish and Neville continued to read before they started to argue.

**It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Aphrodite pulled the door open and they ran inside.** **Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint.**

"You try to go up against a troll at eleven." Hermione huffed crossing her arms over her chest. Bill wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione making her blush.

**The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. "Confuse it!" Aphrodite said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, she threw it as hard as she could against the wall. The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Aphrodite. It hesitated, and then made for her instead, lifting its club as it went.**

"Great, now it's going after you." Lily mumbled holding onto James' arm for dear life. Oliver held onto Aphrodite tighter making her sigh in both annoyance and happiness that someone cared for her.

**"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Aphrodite time to run around it.**

Ginny and Mrs Weasley grabbed Ron's arm and squeezed it for life as all the over Weasleys were looking at Ron anxiously.

**"Come on, run, run!" Aphrodite yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. Aphrodite then did something that was both very brave and very stupid:**

Lily hit James upside the head.

"I blame you." Lily said.

"Sorry for passing on my trouble making genes onto our daughter." James said.

"Mum, you can't really blame either dad. Genes are completely random. I could have been born with red hair and hazel eyes, red hair and green eyes or black hair and hazel eyes. It is a completely random selection." Aphrodite said.

"You so take after your mother." James said with a smile.

**She took a great running jump and managed to fasten her arms around the troll's neck from behind. **

Sirius got up and took Aphrodite out of Oliver's arms and made her sit in his lab where he felt more comfortable.

"Siri, this has already happened. You don't have to worry about me. I'm early sixteen not twelve anymore." Aphrodite said.

"Humour us, cub. We just worry about you." Remus said. The twins chuckled as Aphrodite crossed her arms over her chest.

**The troll couldn't feel Aphrodite hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Aphrodite's wand had still been in her hand when she'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils. **

"Ugh, I hope you washed it." Charlie said making a face.

"Yep, I had Percy help me." Aphrodite said.

**_Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Aphrodite clinging on for dear life; the troll, then suddenly ripped her off by the ankle, dangling her in mid-air._**

"No, no, no, no, no, no." Lily said rocking back and forth. James wrapped his arms around her and whispered comforting things in her ear.

"Our baby girl is safe. She is next you in Sirius' arms, she's safe and protected." James whispered. Lily looked up with tears in her eyes and looked at her baby girl being held by her godfather. She looked exactly like she does when she's annoyed, but even still she reached over and grabbed her hand holding it tightly.

**_"Do something!" yelled Aphrodite, lifting her body up to miss the blow with the club. _**

"Crap," Remus said yanking Aphrodite's other hand into his own. Aphrodite rolled her eyes and looked over at Oliver in a plea for help. The look she got in return told her that he would but he didn't want to make Lily, Remus and Sirius mad.

**_"What?" yelled Ron panicked. _**

**_"Anything!" She said avoiding another blow._**

**Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand — not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!" **

"You can't do that spell!" Fred and George yelled. Ron rolled his eyes and glared at them so Neville continued reading, though he kept looking over at his little sister to make sure she was still there.

**The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, **

"Adrenaline is a good teacher." Kingsley said.

"Don't I know it?" Aphrodite said thinking of the time by the lake rescuing Sirius and herself from dementors.

**Rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot, dropping Aphrodite to the floor and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.**

When Lily's, Sirius' and Remus' grips loosened she escaped and crawled into Oliver's lap again. Her Mother, godfather and uncle looked at her with shock on their faces. She smiled innocently at them and placed her head on Oliver's shoulder as he held her tightly as the colour slowly came back to his face.

**Aphrodite got to her feet. She was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.** **It was Hermione who spoke first.** **"Is it — dead?"**

**"I don't think so," said Aphrodite, "I think it's just been knocked out."** **She bent down and pulled her wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue. **

"Eww," the girls said.

"That's gross," the boys said. This caused everyone to chuckle.

**"Urgh — troll boogers."** **She wiped it on the troll's trousers.** **A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.**

"Faker!" coughed Aphrodite.

"What was that?" Oliver asked, as he didn't hear what she had said as kept repeating to himself that she was fine and that she was safe on his lap.

"Nothing," Aphrodite said smiling at him. Oliver sighed, he loved her smile.

**Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Aphrodite. Aphrodite had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.**

"That's never good," Sirius said.

**Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Aphrodite's mind.**

"I was twelve and I've never done something like that before." Aphrodite said crossing her arms. The twins chuckled and Oliver wrapped his arms around her tighter, though he had a slight smile on his face.

**"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Aphrodite looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"**

**Snape gave Aphrodite a swift, piercing look. Aphrodite looked at the floor. She wished Ron would put his wand down.** **Then a small voice came out of the shadows.** **"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."**

"You lied to a teacher?!" the pranksters asked.

"I didn't want Aph and Ron to get into trouble." Hermione said blushing slightly.

**"Miss Granger!"** **Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.** **"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them." **

"The truth would have worked; none of you would have gotten into trouble." McGonagall said. The trio blushed and with a shake of his head Neville continued reading.

**Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Aphrodite stuck her wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."** **Aphrodite and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.**

"You both failed miserably." Snape sneered.

"You didn't question it sir." Aphrodite said. They glared at each other until Neville continued to read.

**"Well — in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"** **Hermione hung her head. Aphrodite was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets. **

"That would be a sight to see." Tonks said. As everyone started laughing except Snape.

**"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left.** **Professor McGonagall turned to Aphrodite and Ron.** **"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."**

**They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.** **"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled. **

"One would think but she was upset that you three risked your lives." Remus said. The trio blushed so Neville continued to read.

**"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."**

**"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."**

**"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her and she wouldn't of been in there in the first place if you hadn't insulted her." Aphrodite reminded him.** **They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.** **"Pig snout," they said and entered.**

**The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.****_ As Aphrodite was walking over with Ron and Hermione to sit down and eat their food Oliver Wood came running over to them making a small pink blush form across Aphrodite's cheeks._**

**_"_****_Aph, are you alright? Where have you been? I noticed you weren't here and I was going to come look for you but McGonagall wouldn't let me." Oliver said in a rush._**

**_"_****_I'm fine Oliver. Really." Aphrodite said as it looked like he didn't believe her. Oliver smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead making Aphrodite's blush deepen as her hair turned the brightest fusia colour she had yet to see. "I'm just glad your okay. You scared me half to death." Oliver mumbled against her forehead before kissing it again. He smiled at her and then at Ron and Hermione before walking to his friends on the opposite side of the common room._**

**_"_****_Shut up." Aphrodite said as she picked up her goblet._**

**_"_****_I didn't say anything." Ron said, though he was smirking at her as her blush seemed to deepen as she looked over at Oliver and smiled back at him when he smiled at her._**

**_"_****_You didn't have to." Aphrodite said putting her head down._**

**_"_****_Do you like that boy Aph? If I can call you that?" Hermione asked though she too and a smirk on her face._**

"Well of course I did you and Oliver are so obvious all of Gryffindor had a bet on to see when you two would go out and even people from other houses joined in." Hermione said making the aforementioned people blushed.

**_"_****_Erm... yeah you can call me Aph." Aphrodite answered Hermione. Hermione nodded and noticed that Aphrodite had failed to answer the question. "Do you like him?" She asked again._**

**_"_****_Of course she does. Look at the blush on her face and the colour of her hair." Ron said still smirking at her._**

**_"_****_Shut up Ron."_**

**_"_****_Come on, you know you do just admit it." Ron pressed._**

**_"_****_Okay, fine, yes I do like Oliver. Happy." Aphrodite said glaring at Ron and crossing her arms over chest but it was ruined by the fact her hair was still fusia and she had a smile spreading across her face. _**

**_"_****_I knew it." Ron cheered making some people look over at them._**

**_"_****_Ron, Shhh." Hermione and Aphrodite hissed. Ron looked up and saw people looking over at them and then looked back at Aphrodite and Hermione and whispered. "Sorry."_**

**_"_****_You know Aph, I think Oliver likes you as well why else would he come over here and kiss you twice on the forehead when he has only just met you nearly two months ago." Hermione said. Aphrodite gave Hermione her puppy dog look silently asking her to drop it. Hermione nodded and quickly changed the subject. "Anyways thanks again you too for saving me from the troll." She whispered as Aphrodite looked at her gratefully and discreetly elbowed Ron in the ribs._**

**_Ron winced and rubbed his ribs as he swallowed his food and looked and saw Aphrodite glaring at him and then looking pointedly at Hermione. Ron nodded and nervously cleared his throat. "Erm... Hermione I'm... I'm sorry I er I insulted you earlier today." Hermione looked taken back slightly, but then she smiled over at Ron. "Its fine Ron you're forgiven." She smiled as Ron smiled nervously back at her. _**

**But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them. **

"Can't you do anything normal?" Lily asked.

"I don't even know what normal is. Normal for all I know doesn't exist." Aphrodite said with a slight shrug. Lily shook her head and James laughed a little.

"That's the chapter." Neville said as he passed the book to his mother.

Alice opened the book and smiled over at Frank and then at James and Sirius before reading.

**"****Chapter Eleven, Quidditch." **Alice read to the cheers of the Quidditch fanatics in the room.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Quidditch

**A/N: Sorry this is later than ususal but I have had loads of college work to do this week and to make it up I'll try and get another one up this weekend.**

**Padfootette. **

* * *

Chapter Thirteen:

**"****Chapter Eleven, Quidditch." **Alice read to cheers from the Quidditch fanatics.

"Alice can I read this chapter please." James asked.

"No James you can't you have read a chapter it is my turn now and I don't care if it's a chapter about Quidditch I'm reading it." Alice said glaring at James who nodded so Alice continued to read.

**As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots. **

The Order and the Gryffindors shook their heads fondly.

**The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Aphrodite would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin.** **If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. **

As if sensing what was going through Aph's head Oliver kissed her neck and whispered "Don't feel guilty Baby it doesn't matter, so please stop feeling guilty." Aphrodite looking sheepish nodded and kissed Oliver back.

**Hardly anyone had seen Aphrodite play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Aphrodite should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow,**

"Nothing stays a secret at Hogwarts." Bill said. The quartet smirked and everyone caught it.

"Seriously, has anything remained secret with these four there?" Charlie asked.

"Not sure, and they won't tell us on their own, these books will reveal it." Sirius said. Aphrodite looked sheepish yet again.

**And Aphrodite didn't know which was worse — people telling her she'd be brilliant or people telling her they'd be running around underneath her holding a mattress. **

"You don't need either Honey, you're a natural." James smiled proudly at his daughter.

"Actually I could have done with the mattress." Aphrodite said thoughtfully.

"Do we even want to know?" The adults apart from the teachers asked.

"Nope." Said everyone who was at that match.

**It was really lucky that Aphrodite now had Hermione as a friend. She didn't know how she'd have gotten through all her homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. Hermione had also lent her ****_'Quidditch Through the Ages'_****, which turned out to be a very interesting read.**

"The only book we willingly read," James and Sirius said.

"I don't know what I am going to do with you two." Lily said shaking her head.

**Aphrodite learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accident seemed to happen to them; **

"Ain't that the truth?" Aphrodite said. The adults groaned and Sirius looked over at Aphrodite.

"What are we going to do with you?" Sirius asked.

"Love me no matter what?" Aphrodite asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Of course we will. What gave you the impression we wouldn't?" Remus asked.

Aphrodite buried her head in Oliver's shoulder and began mumbling something.

"Oh Baby, we all love you," Oliver said. He had wrapped his arms tighter around her as she curled up more in his lap. Sirius looked sadly at his daughter and he was berating himself for going after the rat in the first place.

**That although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.** **Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Aphrodite and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. **

"Good, you needed it." Fred said with a chuckle.

"Thanks Fred." Hermione said.

**The day before Aphrodite's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a ****_elemental_**** bright blue fire ****_that Aphrodite had taught her_****, that could be carried around in a jam jar. **

"That's really advanced magic Miss Potter, Miss Granger." McGonagall said causing both girls to blush brightly.

"There are many things that we do not know about you Miss Potter." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes.

**They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Aphrodite noticed at once that Snape was limping. Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. **

"It is as long as you are not using it on another student and not used in the corridors." McGonagall said. The trio smiled sheepishly so Alice continued.

**Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.** **"What's that you've got there, Potter?"** **It was ****_'Quidditch Through the Ages'_****. Aphrodite showed him.** **"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."**

"That's not a rule!" Lily shouted glaring at her one time friend.

"How do you know that the rules haven't changed?" Snape asked with a sneer.

"They haven't and don't talk to Lils like that! What possessed you to take the book?" Remus asked glaring at the potion's master. Snape ignored all the glares and Alice continued.

**"He's just made that rule up," Aphrodite muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"**

**"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly. **

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. Ron looked away from his mum so Alice continued reading.

**The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Aphrodite ****_(Even though she didn't need to check it Aphrodite still asked her to make sure she had followed the homework correctly, as she kept doubting herself that she had done it right, which was a habit she had picked up at the Dursleys that she was trying to break) _****and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway. **

"Oh, Sweetheart have you broke it now?" Lily asked her daughter sadly.

"Yeah, I finally broke it in third year." Aphrodite answered.

**Aphrodite felt restless. She wanted ****_'Quidditch Through the Ages'_**** back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? **

"You shouldn't be." Lily said glaring at Snape.

**Getting up, she told Ron and Hermione she was going to ask Snape if she could have it.** **"Better you than me," They said together, but Aphrodite had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening. **

"Damn straight he would give it back." McGonagall said. She glared at her former student, now her colleague who refused to look her in the eyes.

**She made her way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Nothing.** **Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. She pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met her eyes.** **Snape and Filch were inside, alone. **

"Argh, my eyes!" The twins and the marauders yelled.

"Get you minds out of the gutter." Aphrodite and Hermione said.

**Snape was holding his robes above his knees.**

Now everyone under the age twenty five and Sirius were pulling faces.

"It's not what you think." Aphrodite huffed.

**One of his legs was bloody and mangled. **

"Why couldn't you start with that?" Ron asked.

"I'm sorry, next time I'm writing my thoughts down I will start with the innocent comments before I go with the dirty ones." Aphrodite said.

"That was such a Lily response." Sirius said shaking his head, while Lily smiled and nodded at her daughter.

**Filch was handing Snape bandages.** **"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"**

"Why did you try and get past the dog?" Remus asked. Snape didn't answer so Alice continued.

**Aphrodite tried to shut the door quietly, but —**

**"POTTER!" **

"Run!" The twins shouted. Aphrodite looked at them with a raised eyebrow and they quieted down.

Everyone was shocked that she was able to get Fred and George to quieten down with just a look.

**Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Aphrodite gulped.** **"I just wondered if I could have my book back."**

**"GET OUT! OUT!" Aphrodite left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. She sprinted back upstairs.** **"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Aphrodite joined them. "What's the matter?"**

**In a low whisper, Aphrodite told them what she'd seen.** **"You know what this means?" She finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"**

**Hermione's eyes were wide.** **"No — he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe." **

**"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Aph. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"**

**Aphrodite went to bed with her head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Aphrodite couldn't sleep. She tried to empty her mind — she needed to sleep, she had to, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours – but the expression on Snape's face when Aphrodite had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.**

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match."**

**"You've got to eat some breakfast."**

**"I don't want anything."**

**"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.**

**"I'm not hungry." **

"You need to eat Sweetheart." Lily said looking concerned.

"She never eats when she's nervous." Hermione said causing the adults and Oliver to look at her concerned as they realised how skinny she is.

**Aphrodite felt terrible. In an hour's time she'd be walking onto the field.** **"Aph, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."**

**"Thanks, Seamus," said Aphrodite, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.**

"That made me want to be sick." Aphrodite said.

"I'm sure you did." Lily said.

**By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.**

**Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Aphrodite, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours. **

"Impressive, there seems to be no limits to what you three can and are willing to do." McGonagall said. The trio blushed and Alice continued reading.

**Meanwhile, in the locker room, Aphrodite and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).** **Wood cleared his throat for silence."Okay, men," he said.**

**"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.**

"You didn't remember me." Aphrodite said with a pout.

"Oh, Baby I'm sorry I won't ever do that again." Oliver said pulling Aphrodite into his chest completely missing the smirk on her face, but everyone else caught it and tried to smother their laughs.

**"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."**

**"The big one," said Fred.**

**"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.**

**"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Aphrodite, "we were on the team last year."**

Everyone laughed.

**"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."** **He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."**

"Maybe I was a bit too much." Oliver said with a nervous laugh, but stopped when Aphrodite kissed him.

"But I love you like that that's your passion don't ever change that cause I love you just the way you are." Aphrodite said sincerely.

"You're first on my list Love. Even before Quidditch and I love you too." Oliver said kissing her back.

**_"Nervous Aph?" He asked suddenly quietly._**

**_"A little," She admitted biting her lip, _**

**_"Everyone's nervous they're first game." Oliver said gripping her shoulder gently. _**

**_"How did yours go?" she asked him curiously. _**

**_"Can't really remember, took a bludger to the head ten minutes in, and woke up a week later." He said. Aphrodite stared at him her eyes wide with horror. Oliver then realised what he said and pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry Aph I'll make sure that Fred and George keep the bludger's away from you." He said as he kissed her head again making her blush._**

"Aww." Cooed the women in the room making Aphrodite and Oliver blush.

**_"Oliver's right Aph we won't let you get hit don't worry." Fred assured her. _**

**_"Yeah, don't worry Aph we won't let what happened to Oliver happen to you. If we did Oliver would probably kill us if we let anything happen to his little Aph." George said winking at the pair of them making Oliver glare at him. _**

"Did you know Oliver liked me then?" Aphrodite asked George curiously.

"Yep, it was so obvious he liked you and that you liked him back." George said grinning.

**_Aphrodite looked at Oliver and when she saw him smile reassuringly she smiled back and nodded._**

**"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."**

**_Aphrodite tied her waist-long scarlet and gold hair up into a bun and_**** followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping her knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.**

**Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.** **"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her.** **Aphrodite noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Aphrodite thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.**

"We thought so too." The twins said.

**Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. Her heart skipped. She felt braver. **

"Glad we could help." Neville, Ron and Hermione said.

"What would I do without you guys?" she asked.

"Crash and burn." Hermione suggested.

"Have no one to back you up." Neville suggested.

"Have no fun whatsoever." Draco suggested. Everyone laughed and Aphrodite got up to hug the three of them and hesitantly hugged Ron before climbing back into Oliver's lap.

**"Mount your brooms, please."** **Aphrodite clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand.** **Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.** **Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.** **"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"**

"I love Lee's commentary," the twins said.

"It's always almost as good as the game." James said.

"Remus always was good at the commentary." Frank said.

"That is why I had to sit by the commentator." McGonagall said. The twins looked at Remus in shock while Remus blushed.

**"JORDAN!"**

**"Sorry, Professor."**

**The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.** **"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which — **

"Our own friend can't tell us apart." Fred said sadly.

"At least our sister can," George said. Aphrodite blushed and the twins chuckled.

**nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!" Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.**

Everyone besides the Slytherins cheered.

**"Budge up there, move along."**

**"Hagrid!"**

**Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.** **"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"**

**"Nope," said Ron. "Aph hasn't had much to do yet."**

**"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Aphrodite.**

**Way up above them, Aphrodite was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood's game plan. "Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be." **

"Good plan," James said.

"Of course I didn't want Aph to get hurt but no matter what I do she always seems to get hurt." Oliver sighed sadly. Aphrodite hugged him and pecked him on the lips. "It's not your fault so don't blame yourself." She said sternly.

**When Angelina had scored, Aphrodite had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off her feelings. Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasley's wristwatches, **

"I told you two to take them off before we left the changing room." Oliver glared.

"Babe you have already told them off about this." Aphrodite reminded him as a light blush spread over his cheeks.

"I know I'm just reminding them for this year." Oliver said as Aphrodite shook her head fondly at him.

**And once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Aphrodite dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it. "All right there, Aph?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.**

**"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasley's, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?" A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle; too busy looking over her shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed her left ear.**

**Aphrodite saw it. In a great rush of excitement she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.**

"Idiots," said the fanatics.

**Aphrodite was faster than Higgs — she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — she put on an extra spurt of speed — WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — Marcus Flint had blocked Aphrodite on purpose, and Aphrodite's broom spun off course, Aphrodite holding on for dear life.**

"THAT DIRTY CHEATING BASTARD!"James yelled.

"When Flint did that to you I wanted to knock him right of his bloody broom and see how he liked it." Oliver growled, but calmed down when Aphrodite kissed his cheek.

**"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.**

**Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.**

**Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"**

**"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.**

**"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In football you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"**

**"But this isn't football, Dean," Ron reminded him.**

**Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.**

**"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Aph outta the air."**

"It could work." Lily said.

"I love Quidditch but I love my daughter more than that more than anything same with Lily and they should change the rules. That bloody arse hole could have knocked my daughter out of the air." James ranted making everyone stare at him in shock.

**Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides**

"Of course, Moony had the same difficulty." James said cheering up a little bit.

**"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"**

**"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.**

**"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"**

"I like this kid," James said.

**"Jordan, I'm warning you—"**

**"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."**

**It was as Aphrodite dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She'd never felt anything like that. It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off.**

"What the bloody hell is happening?" James asked. Remus then grabbed Aphrodite out of Oliver's lap and held her.

"Remmy," Aphrodite complained. Remus shook his head and held her tighter.

**But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Aphrodite tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts — she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out — and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her. **

Lily gripped James' arm tightly as Sirius gripped Aphrodite's hand in his. Aphrodite huffed and Oliver looked amused at his girlfriend though a little pale as he was remembering she was actually dangling from one hand at one point during the game.

**Lee was still commentating.** **"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — A no…"**

**The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Aphrodite's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went. **

"Why hasn't anyone noticed yet?" James asked his voice strained with worry.

"I'm not sure but we eventually did." Hermione said.

**"Dunno what Aph thinks she's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say she'd lost control of her broom… but she can't have…"** **Suddenly, people were pointing up at Aphrodite all over the stands. Her broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Aphrodite's broom had given a wild jerk and Aphrodite swung off it.**

"No, no, no, no, no!" Lily chanted again.

"Mum, I'm alright; I didn't get hurt at all. Thanks to some really good friends." Aphrodite said smirking over at Hermione. Hermione smiled back.

"That was when I started flying away from the goal posts to get to you but Fred and George got to you first but I wasn't that far behind them so I would be ready if you fell and they couldn't catch you." Oliver said.

"Thank you Oliver I'm glad she has you to look out for her." James smiled at him, and then nodded to Alice so she could continue reading he wanted to get this chapter over with already even if it was about Quidditch he was more concerned for his daughter.

**She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand. **

**"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked her?" Seamus whispered.**

**"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."**

**At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Aphrodite, she started looking frantically at the crowd.**

**"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced. **

**"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."**

**Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Aphrodite and was muttering nonstop under his breath.**

**"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione. **

Sirius got up and started towards Snape with James by his side. Aphrodite and Lily jumped up and stood in their way.

"It wasn't him, Siri, dad. He was trying to save me." Aphrodite said.

"Why?" They asked.

"You'll find out at the end of the book." Oliver said. At this Hermione looked at Aphrodite with a raised eyebrow in question. Aphrodite nodded her head to say yes she did tell Oliver who it was.

"Sit down James, it obviously worked or our baby girl wouldn't be standing here and I'm not hexing him as I believe what Aph's saying." Lily said. James conceded and sat back down with Lily by his side. When Sirius sat down he pulled Aphrodite into his lap instead of Remus'.

**"What should we do?"**

**"Leave it to me."**

"What did you do?" Sirius asked looking at Hermione who blushed. She didn't answer so Alice continued reading.

**Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Aphrodite. Her broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasley's flew up to try and pull Aphrodite safely onto one of their brooms, **

"At least we tried to help." Fred said looking over at the girl that was his sister in all but blood.

**But it was no good – every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell. ****_It was then that she noticed that Oliver was not that far behind them and his face was as white as The Bloody Baron._** **Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.**

"That explains it then." Ron said.

"Well someone was trying to kill her Ron and Aph is more important to me than Quidditch." Oliver said.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Oliver." Fred and George said lightening the tension in the room.

**"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.**

**Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.**

Hermione paled and Bill noticed.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I hit the turban." Hermione whispered grabbing Bill's hand. Bill looked at her confused, but Aphrodite hearing this paled too.

"Don't worry Mio I'm sure he doesn't remember it and if he does he'll have to go through me first." Aphrodite said with a determined look on her face that made everyone groan and Hermione to smile weakly at her she didn't want her little sister to get hurt or worse...die. Hermione shuddered at the thought of not having her kind-hearted, energetic and lively sister around anymore it hurt too much to even think about it.

**Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes. **

"Granger!" Snape yelled.

"I thought you were cursing my friend!" Hermione said staring at the potions master still holding onto Bill's hand for dear life.

"Exactly _sir, _what would you have done if your friend's life was in danger?" Aphrodite asked glaring at Snape. Snape looked at the girl being held hostage by her overprotective adoptive father. She looked exactly like her mother when she was glaring and angry.

**It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row — Snape would never know what had happened.**

"I do now," Snape muttered.

**It was enough. Up in the air, Aphrodite was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom.**

**"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.**

"What I was scared my little sister was going to get hurt." Neville said.

"You're a good friend Neville, just like your parents." Remus said. While Frank and Alice hugged their son with proud looks on their faces.

**Aphrodite was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw her pull up, standing on her broom. Suddenly, she flipped off it, clasping her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick - she hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into her hand.**

"You nearly swallowed the snitch? And you stood up on your Broom" James asked excitedly. Aphrodite nodded and Sirius stood and spun her around. James then jumped up as well as Lily and Remus and gave her a giant group hug. When they let go Aphrodite escaped back into Oliver's lap and he held her close.

"And that was her signature move nobody else can do it." Oliver said.

**"I've got the Snitch!" she shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion.**

**"She didn't catch it, she nearly ****_swallowed_**** it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference — Aphrodite hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Aphrodite heard none of this, though. **

"Ah, you were a tad more curious to find out who tried to kill you?" Lily asked. Aphrodite nodded and the twins looked hurt.

"And we had this whole party planned just for you and you didn't show up." Fred said.

"Sorry." Aphrodite said sheepishly.

**She was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.** **"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."**

"It's the same for counter-curses as well." Lily said.

"I hadn't read that far yet." Hermione and Aphrodite said blushing.

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"** **Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Aphrodite decided on the truth.** **"I found out something about him," she told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."**

**Hagrid dropped the teapot.** **"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.**

"FLUFFY!" everyone asked.

"Now we know it's dangerous." Charlie said getting over the shock first.

**"Fluffy?"**

**"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"**

**"Yes?" said Aphrodite eagerly.**

**"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."**

**"But Snape's trying to steal it."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."**

**"So why did he just try and kill Aph?" cried Hermione.** **The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.** **"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid; I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!" **

**"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Aph's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"**

**"Aha!" said Aphrodite, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"**

**Hagrid looked furious with himself. **

"Hagrid!" the adults shouted.

"Now Aph will try to find out who he is because she is too curious for her own good just like her mum and dad." Alice said as she passed the book to Draco.

Draco took it and opened it to the next chapter and then looked worriedly up at Aphrodite before reading the next chapter title.

**"****Chapter Twelve, The Mirror of Erised." **Draco read.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: The Mirror of Erised

**Author's notes: I have changed some of the orginal story in this chapter so you will have to read all of the bold to understand the story as the letters and book titles are in bold italics, thoughts are in italics and what I have changed is in bold.**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen:

"**Chapter Twelve: Mirror of Erised" **Draco read.

"Can we please skip this chapter?" Aphrodite asked her eyes pleading with all the adults in the room.

"No, we are not going to be skipping any chapters." Dumbledore said. Aphrodite nodded and curled up more in Oliver's lap. Oliver looked at her concerned what made _his _girl react this way?

**Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. **

The trio paled how the twins would react to throwing snowballs at Voldemort. _'I hope he doesn't remember, I don't want anything to happen to my brothers.'_ Aphrodite thought.

**The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start.**

**While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.**

"I never like potions during the winter time, it's too cold." Ron said.

"Warming charms won't help the potion, that's why it's so cold down there." Lily said.

"Is there a way to make us warmer without ruining the potions? Aphrodite asked. And Ron you don't like Potions anyway."

"I'm not sure Miss Potter, but we will look into it." McGonagall said. Aphrodite nodded and Draco went back to reading.

**"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." **

Everyone turned and glared at the blonde Slytherin, but stopped when Aphrodite cleared her throat.

**He was looking over at Aphrodite as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Aphrodite, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Aphrodite as Seeker next.**

**Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Aphrodite had managed to stay on her bucking broomstick. **

"It was really impressive, most people can't and that includes first years who don't remember their first time on a broom is really impressive." Remus said smiling proudly at his daughter.

**So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Aphrodite about having no proper family. **

"You don't taunt someone about that. Especially someone who was lied to for most of their life about how their parents died." Lily sneered glaring at the blonde. Draco shrunk in his chair from the glare his mother and Aphrodite's mother was giving him and muttered a heartfelt apology before carrying on reading.

**It was true that Aphrodite wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Aphrodite had signed up at once. She didn't feel sorry for herself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas she'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.**

"That was a great Christmas," Aphrodite sighed happily into Oliver's arms.

"That snowball fight was fun, especially when we beat Fred and George." Ron said happily.

"Well you had Aphiekins on your side Ron and she always got us and we could hardly even hit her with a snowball!" Fred and George grumbled good-naturedly. Oliver smiled proudly at his girlfriend and kissed her hair.

**When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.**

**"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.**

"Ah, that was so nice and polite of you." Mrs. Weasley cooed. That was the twins cue to tease him.

"Aw, is ickle Ronniekins embarrassed?" Fred asked. "The ickle Prefect is so sweet," George said. This caused Aphrodite to glare at the both of them. Ron may not be talking to her right now but she still cared for him and wanted to go back to being friends again.

**"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."**

**"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to." **

All the Weasley siblings glared at the blonde.

"He has apologised for what he did in the past and it can't be changed but he has changed his behaviour now and you all said you accepted his apology so you can't go back to glaring at him." Aphrodite said. The older Weasley siblings nodded and apologised to Draco, who nodded and gave Aphrodite an appreciative smile before carrying on with the reading.

**Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.**

**"WEASLEY!"**

**Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.**

**"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."**

**"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.**

**"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him —"**

**"I hate them both," said Aphrodite, "Malfoy and Snape."**

**"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."**

**So the three of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.**

**"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?"**

**The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.**

**"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.**

**"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — Aph, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library." **

"Why are you guys going to the library? It's the holidays?" Sirius asked.

"Researching," The trio said.

**"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.**

**"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"**

**"Oh, we're not working," Aphrodite told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."**

**"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."**

**"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.**

**"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Aphrodite added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere."**

"Why couldn't I have remembered?" Aphrodite moaned into her hands.

"All those books," Ron groaned.

"Let me guess, the name was right under your nose the whole time?" Lily asked.

"Yes," The trio said. Everyone chuckled and Draco continued reading.

**"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.**

**"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.**

**They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book.**

**He wasn't in ****_'Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century'_****, or ****_'Notable Magical Names of Our Time'_****; he was missing, too, from ****_'Important Modern Magical Discoveries'_****, and ****_'A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry'._**

"He's not going to be there." Dumbledore chuckled.

"We know that now Sir," Aphrodite grumbled.

**And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.**

**Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random.**

**Aphrodite wandered over to the Restricted Section. She had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and she knew she'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. "What are you looking for, girl?"**

**"Nothing," said Aphrodite.**

**Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at her.** **"You'd better get out, then. Go on — out!"**

**Wishing she'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Aphrodite left the library. She, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.**

**Aphrodite waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but she wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks. **

"If there's a way we haven't found it." The twins said. The trio and the three Marauders smirked. James noticed his daughters smirk and looked at her.

"You got it then?" He asked.

"Got what?" The twins asked.

"Yep, as I told you earlier I got one in this chapter and the other in third year." Aphrodite said mysteriously. James looked excited and the Twins wanted to know what she gets this chapter.

**Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined her, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.**

**"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."**

**"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."**

**"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione. **

"It would, I asked them but all they can tell me is that he was a famous alchemist." Hermione said.

"Some Muggles have heard of wizards?" Mr. Weasley asked excitedly.

"Some are really famous in the Muggle world for their achievements." Lily explained smiling fondly at Arthur. Mr. Weasley looked excited but didn't comment on it.

**Once the holidays had started, Ron and Aphrodite were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. **

"Of course, they have short attention spans. Though I understand, it was Aph's first real Christmas that she could remember." Hermione said. Aphrodite and Ron smiled sheepishly over at their friend who smiled back at them.

**As Aphrodite and Ron were the only ones left in their dormitory they had it to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork — bread, English muffins, marshmallows — and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work. **

Aphrodite shot Draco an apologetic look, but he just smiled and waved it away and continued reading.

**Ron also started teaching Aphrodite wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family — in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.**

**Aphrodite played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent her, and they didn't trust her at all. She wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at her, which was confusing. She wasn't a very good player yet, and they kept shouting different bits of advice at her, which was very confusing. "Hey pretty missy, don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him; we can afford to lose****_ him."_**

"I'm still not a very good player and those sets only think of themselves." Aphrodite said, shaking her head and causing her friends to smother their laughter with their hands as she still hadn't realised they had called her pretty.

**On Christmas Eve, Aphrodite went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.**

"Oh Baby." Oliver sighed holding her close. Aphrodite blushed and buried her head in Oliver's shoulder.

**When she woke early in the morning, however, the first thing she saw was PadMoon curled up next to her and she stoked his soft fur, as she stroked him, he woke up with a soft bark and licked her hand making Aphrodite giggle as his tongue tickled the palm of her hand. PadMoon had now grown to the correct weight and size for a puppy his age thanks to the food Hagrid had given her. She then noticed that there was a small pile of packages at the foot of her bed.**

**"Happy Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Aphrodite scrambled out of bed and pulled on her bathrobe.**

**"You, too," said Aphrodite. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"**

**"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Aphrodite's.**

"You are so getting a load of presents from now on." Sirius said.

"I don't need it," Aphrodite mumbled.

"Stop Pup, we want to because you are now mine and Remus' daughter and because you deserve it." Sirius said. Aphrodite blushed so Draco went back to the book.

**Aphrodite picked up the top parcel which was very bumpy. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was ****_To Aphrodite, from Hagrid._**** Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute, some toys and some more dog food for PadMoon. Hagrid had obviously whittled the flute himself. Aphrodite blew it — it sounded a bit like an owl. She then handed PadMoon the dog toys and smiled as he started rolling around on her bed playing with the toys Hagrid had given him. **

"That's nice of Hagrid." Lily smiled.

"I know, I didn't stop thanking him and I still have it, it's in my trunk and I have gotten a lot better at playing it now." Aphrodite smiled. "PadMoon loved those toys he wouldn't stop playing with them for ages." Aphrodite smiled down at PadMoon who was curled up on the sofa next to her and Oliver fast asleep.

"Aph, everything you own you are able to keep in your trunk and that's with all the extra books you buy and you own nearly more books than Hermione." Neville said smiling sadly at his little sister, as he made a vow to himself that he was going to spoil her from now on.

Everyone frowned at that statement as Aphrodite blushed and buried her head back in Oliver's chest as unbeknownst to her everyone in the room was making a similar vow to Neville.

**A second, very small parcel contained a note.**

**_We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. _**

**_From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. _**

**Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.**

**"That's friendly," said Aphrodite.**

"That's friendly? I'd hate to see what isn't." Andy said.

"You really don't want to know Aunt Andy." Aphrodite mumbled. Everyone was now worried but Aphrodite was more so because of what was coming up.

**Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.**

**"Weird!" he said, 'What a shape! This is money?"**

"Ron's like dad," Fred said with a smile.

"I don't know whether that's a good idea or not." George said. Ron glared at his brothers.

**"You can keep it," said Aphrodite, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle — so who sent these?"**

"Us," The Weasley's said. Lily and James smiled in gratitude to Mr and Mrs Weasley. .

"Thank you for looking after our baby girl when we couldn't." Lily said almost in tears. Aphrodite got up and hugged her parents before going back over to Oliver.

**"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley sweater." **

"What's wrong with mum's sweaters?" Fred asked.

"Nothing, I just didn't think that Aph would like them." Ron said his ears turning pink.

**Aphrodite had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.**

"Why green?" James asked.

"I didn't know her favourite colour and I knew her eyes were green so I thought that they would bring them out more." Mrs. Weasley said.

"What is your favourite colour?" Lily asked.

"Red, but her favourite hair colour is purple." Oliver, the Twins, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Neville, Sirius and Remus said. Aphrodite blushed so Draco kept reading.

**"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."**

"You don't like maroon?" Mrs. Weasley asked a little heartbroken.

"Nah, I like blue better." Ron said.

"Then who likes maroon?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I do," Percy said. Mrs. Weasley was now wondering if this was the cause of her Ronnie's insecurity.

**"That's really nice of her," said Aphrodite, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.**

**Her next present also contained sweets — a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.**

"Mione gave us the answer all along." Ron said

**This only left one parcel. Aphrodite picked it up and felt it. It was very light. She unwrapped it.** **Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. **

James smiled albeit a bit sadly as he wasn't the one to give it to his daughter but he was glad she got it.

"What is it?" the twins asked, bouncy in their seats.

**Ron gasped.** **"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavour Beans he'd gotten from Hermione.** **"If that's what I think it is — they're really rare, and really valuable."**

**"What is it?"Aphrodite picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.**

**"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on."**

"Can we borrow it?" the twins asked.

"Maybe," Aphrodite said with a smirk. The teachers groaned, if the twins got their hands on the cloak there's no telling what they will do.

**Aphrodite threw the cloak around her shoulders and Ron gave a yell.** **"It is! Look down!"**

**Aphrodite looked down at her feet, but they were gone. She dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, her reflection looked back at her, just her head suspended in midair, her body completely invisible.**

"It is weird the first time." James said.

"It's yours?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yep." James said smiling at Remus and Sirius and then at Lily.

"But, that's not possible, the enchantments wouldn't hold for twenty plus years." McGonagall said with a frown.

"It has lasted a lot longer than that, it was my father's and it has been passed down the Potter line for generations." James said with a shrug.

**She pulled the cloak over her head and her reflection vanished completely.**

**"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"**

**Aphrodite pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing she had never seen before were the following words:**

**_Your father left this in my possession before he died._**

**_It is time it was returned to you._**

**_Use it well._**

**_A Very Happy Christmas to you._**

Professors McGonagall and Snape glared at Dumbledore, but Snape spoke before McGonagall could. "You gave her that cloak, no wonder she never gets caught out after hours were you out for your mind Albus?" Snape sneered.

"I was merely returning a family heirloom." Dumbledore said with a shrug of his shoulders and the damn twinkle in his eyes.

**There was no signature. Aphrodite stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.**

**"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"**

**"Nothing," said Aphrodite. She felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to her father? **

Oliver held her tighter to them feeling her tense up some more.

**Before she could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Aphrodite stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. She didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.**

"We get understand Aphiekins." Fred and George said smiling over at her.

**"Happy Christmas!"**

**"Hey, look — Aph's got a Weasley sweater, too!"**

**Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.** **"Aph's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Aphrodite's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."**

"That's not true Fred," Mrs. Weasley said glaring at the twins.

"We know, she is family now," Fred said. Aphrodite smiled over at Fred and George.

**"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."**

**"I hate maroon," Ron moaned half heartedly as he pulled it over his head. **

**Aphrodite picked up her last present and opened it. She smiled as a small necklace fell out of the package. She held it up and looked at it. The chain was golden and it held a little black dog that looked kind of like PadMoon, but with bright Emerald green eyes, that were nearly the same colour of her own eyes. **

"That sounds so pretty." Tonks sighed.

"**You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget you name. But where not stupid – we know we're called Gred and Forge." Aphrodite shook herself out of her dream like state as she stared at the twins trying to keep up with what they were saying. **

"Well, who ever gave her that necklace has certainly gotten her attention." George chuckled.

"**What's all this noise?"Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly come halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy jumper over his arm, which Fred seized. Aphrodite wasn't paying too much attention as she had just found a note inside the packaging. It read:**

**_Aph,_**

**_I saw this when I went to Hogsmeade (that's the wizarding village near here) a few weeks ago and when I saw this it reminded me of you especially the bright emerald eyes and I know how much you love your puppy PadMoon, and I thought you would like this. Welcome to Gryffindor and I hope you have a Merry Christmas. See you when I get back. _**

**_Oliver. Xxx_**

"There are **three **kisses at the end of the letter and one of them is in capitals." Draco said smirking at Oliver (but not unkindly) as James, Sirius, Remus and Ted looked cross between glaring at Oliver and smiling at how much he loves their daughter/niece.

"Aww, that is so sweet." Lily smiled over at her daughter and Oliver. "Are you wearing the necklace now?" Aphrodite nodded and pulled the necklace out from under the neck of her Puddle Mere United shirt, showing her mum and everyone in the room.

"That's a beautiful necklace." Andy commented.

"Thank you Aunt Andy." Aphrodite smiled at her aunt.

"Oliver is always buying Aph new pieces of jewellery." Draco said.

"How many pieces of jewellery do you have now Aph?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm not sure," Aphrodite shrugged. "I get some for my birthday and some for Christmas."

"And some for no reason at all." Draco added with a laugh.

Oliver was now blushing bright red, "Yes well." Oliver cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Oliver you are setting the bar up too high for the rest of us." Bill and Charlie complained.

"Yes, well sorry about that but I wanted to treat Aph and show her how much I love and care for her." Oliver said with a shrug.

"And I've told you, you don't need to buy me things to show me that. And I know it's not always jewellery but I know how much you care and love me, but thank you anyway I love all the jewellery. Thank you." Aphrodite said kissing Oliver deeply on the lips.

Draco smiled at his best friend glad to see she is less tense and carried on reading.

**"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Bella got one."**

**"I — don't — want —" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.**

**"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."**

"Seems he forgot about it this year." George snarled. Aphrodite got up and went and hugged her older brothers. Fred and George were surprised at first but hugged her back just as tightly.

"He'll come round you know, just give him time." Aphrodite smiled at them and then went back to Oliver.

**They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his jumper. Aphrodite fastened the necklace around her throat and instantly felt bad as she looked down at the necklace. Her present that she had given Oliver (which was a Puddle Mere's new hat and gloves set as well as their new book called ****_'Puddle Mere United and how it all started'._****) felt rather inadequate compared to her necklace. But she had asked and that was what he said he had really hoped to be getting this Christmas not necessarily from her but she had wanted to get him that for Christmas present but she left it as a surprise and asked Fred and George Weasley how she could buy it but she didn't tell them it was for Oliver and they had helped her mail order it and it had come a few weeks ago. **

**When she found out Oliver wasn't staying for Christmas she had given him his neatly wrapped present in the common room, he was shocked he had gotten her a present but thanked her profusely and kissed her on the cheek instead of her forehead making her hair turn bright fusia as she blushed as most of the boys in the common room wolf whistled at them. **

"It wasn't inadequate Baby, it was very thoughtful and I loved it especially when I opened it on Christmas Day, as I thought either my mum or dad where going to buy it and they didn't. And the fact that you had brought it instead and I loved it even more." Oliver said kissing her on the lips.

**Aphrodite had never in all her life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. ****These fantastic party favours were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursley's usually bought, with their lit, little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. **

**Aphrodite pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him. ****Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice.**

"What is that about?" Aphrodite asked.

"It's an old wizard tradition. Whoever finds the coin gets good luck all next year." Sirius explained. Aphrodite nodded her head and Draco continued reading.

**Aphrodite watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Aphrodite's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.**

"That's not something you see often, a drunk McGonagall." James snickered. McGonagall glared at him so Draco kept reading.

**When Aphrodite finally left the table, she was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non- explode able, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and her own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Aphrodite had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner. **

"I had fun with those kits later that summer before I got bored with it." Aphrodite said. Everyone chuckled so Draco continued.

**Aphrodite and the Weasley's spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. And laughed as they watched PadMoon chasing the snowflakes and every so often pouncing on them or catching them in his mouth. **

Everyone laughed as they pictured PadMoon doing just that.

**Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Aphrodite broke in her new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. **

"Maybe I should have played either Fred or George." Aphrodite said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, you should have, I don't anyone has ever beaten Ron since he was like seven." Fred said. Ron looked sheepish and rubbed the back of his head.

**She suspected she wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help her so much. **

Percy glared at her and Aphrodite just stared back not even blinking.

"Careful Perce, no one has ever beaten her in a staring contest." George said with a snicker.

**After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge. **

The twins grinned at each other and Aphrodite shook her head.

**It had been Aphrodite's best Christmas day ever.**

Sirius sighed and rubbed his face, he really shouldn't have gone after the rat.

**Yet something had been nagging at the back of her mind all day. Not until she climbed into bed with PadMoon snuggled into her side already fast asleep, was she free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.**

**Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Aphrodite leaned over the side of her own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.**

**_Her father's… this had been her father's. He had used this;_**** she thought her father had used this. She let the material flow over her hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.** **She had to try it, now. She slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around herself. Looking down at her legs, she saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.**

**_Use it well._**

**Suddenly, Aphrodite felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to her in this cloak. Excitement flooded through her as she stood there in the dark and silence. She could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.**

**Ron grunted in his sleep. Should she wake him? Something held her back — her father's cloak — she felt that this time — the first time — she wanted to use it alone.**

"I used it by myself the first time as well. It's nothing to feel selfish about." James said.

**She crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.** **"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Aphrodite said nothing. She walked quickly down the corridor.**

**Where should she go? She stopped, her heart racing, and thought. And then it came to her. The Restricted Section in the library.**

"The library?" James asked.

"You could have gone anywhere and you choose the library." Sirius said.

"I was trying to find Flamel." Aphrodite said crossing her arms.

"Then you are excused." James said. Aphrodite smiled slightly while Lily crossed her arms and shook her head fondly at her husband.

**She'd be able to read as long as she liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was.** **She set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around her as she walked.** **The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Aphrodite lit a lamp to see her way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Aphrodite could feel her arm supporting it, the sight gave her the creeps.**

"It does look creepy. But you do get used to it after a while." Sirius said.

"Siri, I know this. It's been four years." Aphrodite said. Sirius looked sheepish and Aphrodite smiled over at her father.

**The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, she held up her lamp to read the titles.**

**They didn't tell her much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages Aphrodite couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood.**

**The hairs on the back of Aphrodite's neck prickled. Maybe she was imagining it, maybe not, but she thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be. **

"Be careful, the book you may pick up may scream." Remus said.

"I could have been told this before it happened but no, it happens four years later." Aphrodite grumbled.

"That's how it usually works." The twins said.

**She had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, she looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught her eye. She pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on her knee, let it fall open.** **A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence — the book was screaming!**

"It's your luck working against you." Neville said.

"Tell me about it." Aphrodite sighed.

**Aphrodite snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, ear-splitting note. She stumbled backward and knocked over her lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside — stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, she ran for it. She passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through her, and Aphrodite slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in her ears.**

**She came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armour. She had been so busy getting away from the library; she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. Perhaps because it was dark, she didn't recognize where she was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, she knew, but she must be five floors above there.**

"Ugh, she needs the map," James mumbled.

**"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."**

**Aphrodite felt the blood drain out of her face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to her horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."**

**Aphrodite stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see her, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into her — the cloak didn't stop her from being solid.**

"Padfoot learned that the hard way." James snickered.

"You promised that you wouldn't mention that again." Sirius whined.

"Now I want to know." Aphrodite said.

"You are so much like Lily Aph, she asked the exact same question when her and James got together." Remus chuckled, as Lily and Aphrodite smiled at each other.

"We'll tell you later, alright pup." Sirius said. Aphrodite nodded as Draco continued.

**She backed away as quietly as she could. A door stood ajar to her left. It was her only hope. She squeezed through it, holding her breath, trying not to move it, and to her relief she managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Aphrodite leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before she noticed anything about the room she had hidden in.**

**It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket – but propped against the wall facing her was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.**

**It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.**

"What does that mean?" Sirius and the twins asked.

"It's not a language I'm familiar with." Lily said frowning.

"It's mirror language." Aphrodite mumbled. "It means, 'I show not your face but your heart's desire.'" Everyone nodded and looked at Aph curiously but quickly turned to concern as they saw how pale she was and that Oliver was holding onto her trying to give her some comfort.

James gasped as he realised what that mirror was, causing everyone turned to look at him but he ignored them and spoke to Aphrodite. "Aphrodite Dorea Lily Potter you stay away from that mirror!" James said sternly, causing the looks still being directed at him to turn from confusion to a mix of concern and confusion.

**Her panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Aphrodite moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at herself but see no reflection again. She stepped in front of it.** **She had to clap her hands to her mouth to stop herself from screaming **

"What is it? It's nothing dangerous is it?" Lily asked.

"It's not." Aphrodite reassured her mum.

**She whirled around. Her heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed — for she had seen not only herself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind her. **

"What? But how...?" Lily asked, confused. She looked at her husband, who looked as though he was about to have a heart attack and wanted to hex whoever put that mirror there.

"My dad told me about that mirror..." He whispered, terrified. "It was in my great-great-great uncle's journal, he literally wasted away in front of it, just staring into it... He never told us what he saw... and now it's showing Aph her heart's desire." He whispered, looking over at his daughter.

**But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, she turned slowly back to the mirror.** **There she was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind her, were at least ten others. Aphrodite looked over her shoulder — but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was she in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?**

"No its not." Dumbledore said solemnly.

**She looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind her reflection was smiling at her and waving. ****She reached out a hand and felt the air behind her. If she was really there, she'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but she felt only air – she and the others existed only in the mirror.**

Aphrodite started to cry, burying her head in Oliver's chest. She didn't want to relive this; she didn't want all these people to hear it. Oliver wrapped his arms around Aphrodite, cradling her, kissing her forehead. He didn't know what was upsetting her, but he wanted to help her, make her laugh and see her beautiful smile again and to take all her pain away.

**She was a very pretty woman. **

"It's me," Lily said with tears in her eyes understanding now why James didn't want their baby girl near this Merlin forsaken mirror. James wrapped his arms around Lily trying to comfort his wife but also get some comfort for himself. Everyone now understood what Aph was seeing and there wasn't a dry eye in the room as everyone was looking at the small but broken family sympathetically.

**She had dark red hair and her eyes —her eyes are just like mine, Aphrodite thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green — exactly the same shape, but then she noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. **

"Of course I would be," Lily mumbled tears streaming down her face. James held her and Draco continued in a shaky voice.

**The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Aphrodite's did when it was short.** **Aphrodite was so close to the mirror now that her nose was nearly touching that of her reflection. **

Nobody bothered to comment, most of them had tears in their eyes.

**"Mum?" She whispered. "Dad?" **

James was trying to hold back the tears for his baby girl as well.

**They just looked at her nodding their heads, smiling. And slowly, Aphrodite looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like hers, other noses like her, even a little old man who looked as though he had Aphrodite's knobbly knees — Aphrodite was looking at her family, for the first time in her life.**

Aphrodite buried her head deeper into Oliver's chest as her soft cries turned into full blown sobs that shook her whole body, Oliver held her tighter completely ignoring his own tears as he tried to comfort his distraught girlfriend.

**The Potters smiled and waved at Aphrodite and she stared hungrily back at them, her hands pressed flat against the glass as though she was hoping to fall right through it and reach was only one person that stood out, the young man that was kneeling on the floor next to Aphrodite's reflection. As she looked closer she realised it was Oliver Wood, only he wasn't wearing his school uniform he was wearing a white t-shirt which showed off his muscley arms, jeans and dragon-hide boots. He was smiling at Aphrodite, his arms wrapped around her protectively. Aphrodite had a powerful kind of ace inside of her, half joy, half terrible sadness. **

Oliver squeezed Aphrodite tighter, she shouldn't have to go through something like this, and not after all she had lost... and started whispering words of comfort into her ears. As Draco looked at the next paragraph he had to take in a shaky breath as he had read ahead.

**How long she stood there, she didn't know as she looked into the mirror her mother put a hand on her right shoulder and started rubbing soothing circles on it. She looked from her reflection in the mirror with her mother's hand on her shoulder to her own shoulder and found herself resting a hand on her shoulder and wishing that her parents were really here, to her, kiss her and laugh with her and cheer her up when she was sad but most of all so that they could just hold her and tell her everything will be alright even if it wasn't.**

Everyone looked sadly at Aphrodite who was being held in a death grip by Oliver and was trying to get her sobs under control.

**The reflections did not fade and she looked and looked until a distant noise brought her back to her senses. She couldn't stay here; she had to find her way back to bed. She tore her eyes away from her mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room.**

"Don't, please don't." Lily said wiping her tears from her face. Aphrodite didn't respond as she was still crying into Oliver's chest.

**"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.**

"RON!" Mr Weasley shouted scandalised as he wiped his own tears off of his face he didn't know Aphrodite felt that bad he started to feel bad for not noticing as he loved her as if she was his own daughter.

**"You can come tonight, I'm going back, and I want to show you the mirror."**

**"I'd like to see your mum and dad," Ron said eagerly.**

"It doesn't work that way little bro," Charlie said.

"I know that now." Ron whispered. He was still looking at his friend, he hadn't seen her cry like this since Cedric died. He decided he was going to make it up to her at the end of the chapter he couldn't believe how stupid he had been letting Dumbledore and his mother make him believe that stuff about her, she was his best friend, his little sister and he has thrown it all away.

Hopefully she will accept him back he can't believe how he had treated her and Hermione he was disgusted with himself as well as his mother and Dumbledore for manipulating him into believing that he should date her and the marriage contract he didn't even like Aph that way he was so stupid. Hopefully it's not too late to put things right so what if she is friends with Mal... Draco he himself has noticed the change in him since being friends with Aph. He had also noticed that Aph has not been her normal energetic and lively self well that is going to change from now on, Ron promised himself.

**"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasley's; you'll be able to show me you're other brothers and everyone."**

**"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people.**

"Ron!" His parents and siblings groaned.

"I know," He said. "I'm sorry."

**Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"**

"You need to eat Di." Oliver said concerned as he held her tighter to him.

**Aphrodite couldn't eat. She had seen her parents and would be seeing them again tonight. She had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? **

"Not good, she's not focusing on anything else." Bill said.

"Why didn't we notice how she was acting?" Fred, George and surprisingly Percy groaned looking at their little sister sadly they hated seeing her like this.

**"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."**

**What Aphrodite feared most was that she might not be able to find the mirror room again. **

**With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Aphrodite's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.**

**"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."**

**"No!" Aphrodite hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."**

**They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Aphrodite spotted the suit of armour.**

**"It's here — just here — yes!"**

**They pushed the door open. Aphrodite dropped the cloak from around her shoulders and ran to the mirror.**

**There they were. Her mother and father beamed at the sight of her, and Oliver smiling happily as he held her tight in his arms. **

Oliver squeezed her again.

**"See?" Aphrodite whispered.**

**"I can't see anything."**

**"Look! Look at them all… there are loads of them…"**

**"I can only see you."**

**"Look in it properly, go on, and stand where I am."**

**Aphrodite stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, she couldn't see her family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pyjamas.**

James suddenly realised why no one knew what his great-great-great uncle saw as everyone sees something different.

**Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.** **"Look at me!" he said.**

**"Can you see all your family standing around you?"**

**"No — I'm alone — but I'm different — I look older — and I'm head boy!"**

"Your dream is to be head boy?" The twins asked.

"Not anymore." Ron said.

**"What?"**

**"I am — I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to — and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup — I'm Quidditch captain, too."**

"I don't get it." Neville said.

"It'll explain at the end of the chapter I think." Aphrodite mumbled her head still buried in Oliver's chest.

**"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"**

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"I know, I know." Ron said.

**"How can it? All my family are dead — let me have another look —"**

**"You had it to yourself all last night; give me a bit more time."**

**"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."**

**"Don't push me —"** **A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion.** **They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.**

"Get out of there." James, Sirius, Remus and Frank hissed.

**"Quick!"** **Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Ron and Aphrodite stood quite still, both thinking the same thing — did the cloak work on cats?**

"She can smell you, but she can't see you." Remus said.

**After what seemed an age, she turned and left.** **"This isn't safe — she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."** **And Ron pulled Aphrodite out of the room.**

**The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.** **"Want to play chess, Aph?" said Ron.**

**"No."**

**"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"**

**"No… you go…"**

"How come we never noticed anything?" Fred complained angry at himself. "We should of noticed there was something wrong has you're always going to visit Hagrid even when you're not meant to."

"How do you stop?" Sirius asked.

"You'll see." Aphrodite said giving him a small watery smile, before burrying her head back in Oliver's chest.

**"I know what you're thinking about, Aph that mirror. Don't go back tonight." **

**"Why not?"**

**"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it — and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"**

**"You sound like Hermione."**

**"I'm serious, Aph, don't go."**

"Listen to Ron," Hermione said.

"Wow, I never thought I'd hear Hermione say that." Neville said. Everyone chuckled lightly; it was enough to lighten the mood slightly.

**But Aphrodite only had one thought in her head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop her. ****That third night she found her way more quickly than before. She was walking so fast she knew she was making more noise than was wise, but she didn't meet anyone. ****And there were her mother and father smiling at her again, Oliver was also smiling and hugging her tightly to him again this time he kissed her on the cheek instead of on the forehead like when he kissed her in the common room when she gave him her present, and one of her grandfathers nodding happily. "Hi" She whispered**. **Aphrodite sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop her from staying here all night with her family. Nothing at all.** **Except —**

**"So — back again, Aphrodite?"** **Aphrodite felt as though her insides had turned to ice. She looked behind her. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. **

"Good, he'll stop you from going." Lily whispered, wiping the tears off her face.

**Aphrodite must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror she hadn't noticed him.** **"I — I didn't see you, sir."**

**"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Aphrodite was relieved to see that he was smiling. **

**"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Aphrodite,**

"I can't picture Dumbledore sitting on the floor." James said, trying to lighten the mood in the room.

**"You, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."**

**"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."**

**"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"**

**"It — well — it shows me my family —"**

**"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."**

"How did he know?" Ron asked.

"I was there Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said. Ron's ears turned red.

**"How did you know —?"**

**"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"**

**Aphrodite shook her head.**

**"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror that is; he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"**

**Aphrodite thought. Then she said slowly, "It shows us what we want… whatever we want…"**

**"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them.**

"I don't feel that way anymore." Ron grumbled. Charlie slapped him upside the head. "You better not." He growled before returning to his seat next to Bill.

**However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.**

**"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Aphrodite, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"**

**Aphrodite nodded and stood up.**

**"Sir — Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"**

**"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however." **

**"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"**

"Aphrodite! That's a really personal question." Lily said. Aphrodite looked sheepish and Draco continued.

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks." **

"So that's why we buy socks every year." Hermione mused. Aphrodite blushed and the twins snickered as Oliver held her tighter as he smothered his laughter in her hair.

**Aphrodite stared.**

**"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."**

Everyone chuckled and the twins and the marauders vowed to buy the headmaster socks for Christmas every year.

**It was only when she was back in bed that it struck Aphrodite that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, she thought, as she shoved Scabbers off her pillow, **

Aphrodite shivered; she slept in the same room that the rat was in. Sirius and Remus were thinking the same thing as well so they vowed to each other that they were going to get Aphrodite tested just in case.

**And snuggled up to PadMoon, who woke up seeing andScabbers and growled at him making him going to the other side of the dorm it had been quite a personal question. **

"That's it." Draco said closing the book and handing it to his mother. Before Narcissa could start though Lily and James jumped up and hugged their daughter to them. Once they had sat back down Narcissa opened the book to the correct chapter and read.

**"Chapter Thirteen, Nicholas Flamel." **Narcissa read.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Nicholas Flamel

Chapter Fifteen:

"Wait, before you continue Mrs Malfoy I want to apologise to Aph." Ron said, he then turned towards Aph. "Aph I am so, so sorry I should of never treated you the way I did your my best friend, my little sister I let mum and Dumbledore put ideas into my head even though I knew I would never, ever feel that way for you I love you as a sister nothing more and I was so stupid I'm sorry." Ron said sincerely.

"Took you long enough." Aphrodite glared over at Ron making everyone else look between them.

"I'm so sorry I understand we can't go back to the way we were straight away and I have realised how stupid I was and that Draco has changed and I'm so sorry for how I have treated you and Hermione, and I will never believe what anyone else says about you I...I don't know why I did but all I know is I'm so sorry." Ron said hanging his head down in shame. The next thing he knew was the wind being knocked out of him and he felt something ran into him and wrap their arms around his neck. He knew instantly that it was Aph and wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly still whispering apologies into her ear.

"Ron its okay I forgive you." Aphrodite said as she hugged him again before returning to Oliver's lap with a large smile on her face.

"**Chapter Thirteen, Nicholas Flamel," **Narcissa said.

"You guys finally find him then?" Sirius asked.

"Shut up," The trio said. They huffed and the two girls crossed their arms and Narcissa continued.

**Dumbledore had convinced Aphrodite not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of her trunk.**

"Aw, you could have explored the whole school!" James said.

"Sorry dad," Aphrodite said simply.

**Aphrodite wished she could forget what she'd seen in the mirror as easily, but she couldn't. She started having nightmares. Over and over again she dreamed about her parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter. **

Aphrodite shuddered it actually wasn't far from the truth. Oliver felt her shudder and held her tightly to his chest his arms wrapped around her waist. While her parents and mostly everybody in the room looked at her sadly.

**"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Aphrodite told him about these dreams. **

"I'm sorry Aph." Ron said.

"Its fine Ron don't worry about it." Aphrodite smiled at him she was glad to have her oldest friend back again.

**Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Aphrodite being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that she hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.**

**They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Aphrodite was still sure she'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Aphrodite had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again. **

**Oliver was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasley's complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Aphrodite was on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Aphrodite found that she had fewer nightmares when she was tired out after training. It was a few days into term when Oliver had found Aphrodite in the common room sitting on the sofa crying just after midnight. Oliver had wrapped her in his arms as she cried and told him that she had had a nightmare about her parents disappearing in flash of green light. **

**And she had told him that when she is tired out after Quidditch she doesn't have any nightmares and Oliver asked if she wanted him to up the number of Quidditch practises to help try and keep the nightmares away. Aphrodite than hugged Oliver tightly and thanked him and Oliver promised he wouldn't say anything to the other members of the team he said he would say it is to improve the chances of them winning the Quidditch Cup. Aphrodite smiled Oliver's favourite smile and Oliver had kissed her on the cheek and saw her into her dorm room after bidding her goodnight. **

"Aww that is soo cute Ickle Aphiekins is falling for Ollie pop." Fred and George smirked.

"Shut up." Aphrodite mumbled as she blushed turning her hair fusia.

"Oliver thank you for looking after my daughter and making her feel better." James said as Oliver nodded with a smile on his face as he started playing with Aphrodite's hair.

**Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Oliver gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasley's, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.**

Oliver glared at them and Fred and George raised their hands in surrender. "We were just trying to make Aph laugh we noticed how upset she had been lately and we don't like seeing her upset." Fred explained causing Lily and James to smile at how many people care for their baby girl.

**"Will you stop messing around?" He yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"** **George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words. **

"That really hurt; at least I wasn't far from the ground." George said.

"Well that will teach you for not paying attention to Oliver." Aphrodite teased. George did the mature thing and stuck his tongue out at her.

**"Snape's refereeing?" He spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."**

**The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.** **"It's not my fault," said Oliver. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."** **Which was all very well, thought Aphrodite, but she had another reason for not wanting Snape near her while she was playing Quidditch… **

"I don't want him anywhere near me anyway, but especially when I though he was trying to kill me." Aphrodite whispered to Oliver. Oliver nodded and kissed her cheek.

**The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Aphrodite headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where she found Ron and Hermione playing chess.** **Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Aphrodite and Ron thought was very good for her.**

Hermione glared at her two friends. They looked at them sheepishly before Lily spoke up.

"Actually it is good to not excel at everything; otherwise you will never learn anything." Lily said. Hermione blushed and nodded so Narcissa continued reading.

**"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Aphrodite sat down next to him, "I need to concen—" He caught sight of Aphrodite's face.**

**"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."** **Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Aphrodite told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.**

**"Don't play," said Hermione at once.**

**"Say you're ill," said Ron.**

**"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.**

**"Really break your leg," said Ron.**

"That wouldn't work Ron; Madame Pomfrey would heal it in a second." Sirius said.

"And why would you suggest that in the first place?" James asked.

"I didn't want her to get killed after being friends for a few months." Ron said sheepishly, his ear turning red. The twins chuckled and Aphrodite grinned, even after Ron not believing her last year and the argument they had gotten in to because of Dumbledore she glad to know that he still cared about her.

**"I can't," said Aphrodite. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."**

"That would cost you; you should always have a reserve seeker." James said.

"We learned that the hard way." Oliver whispered as Fred and George nodded they were so worried about their little sister when they found out that she was in a coma. Remus' eyes turned wide, what had that meant, what happened to his cub?

**At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.**

**Everyone fell over laughing except Aphrodite and Hermione, who both leapt up but Aphrodite was quicker drawing her wand and performed the counter curse.**

"Not everyone laughed." Aphrodite said.

"Yeah, Hermione and Aphrodite were just quicker on the draw this time." Ron said.

**Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, as Aphrodite was leading him over to sit with her and Ron.**

**"Malfoy," said Neville shakily.**

"Mr. Malfoy, you do not curse other students in the halls!" McGonagall shouted glaring at the blonde Slytherin.

"I'm really sorry Nev." Draco said wincing as his mother glared at him.

"Its fine Draco, I forgave you ages ago." Neville said.

**"I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."**

**"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"**

"You should have!" The adults said.

**Neville shook his head.** **"I don't want more trouble," He mumbled.**

**"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."**

**"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out. **

"You need to get your confidence up." Remus said.

"I have got it up a bit thanks to Aph." Neville said smiling over at his little sister.

**Aphrodite glared over at Ron for his lack of tact and felt in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given her for Christmas. She gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry. **

"You are so sweet." Lily said. Aphrodite blushed through her black and purple hair.

**"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Aphrodite said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." **

Aphrodite looked sheepish, "I'm sorry but you were a git back then and you had upset Nev and he was my friend and my older brother really."

"Its fine Aph, don't worry about it." Draco smiled.

**Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he un-wrapped the frog.** **"Thanks, Aph… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"**

**As Neville walked away, Aphrodite looked at the Famous Wizard card.**

**"Dumbledore again," she said, "He was the first one I ever —"** **She gasped. She stared at the back of the card. Then she looked up at Ron and Hermione.**

**"I've found him!" She whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here — listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, **

"All this time and he was on the back on a chocolate frog card?" James asked with a smirk that mirrored Aphrodite's.

"Yes," groaned the trio. This caused everyone chuckled.

**For the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"**

**Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.**

"I did not!" Hermione screeched. Aphrodite and Ron looked at each other with eyebrows raised and then looked at her with calculating looks.

"Yes you were." Aphrodite and Ron said. Everyone chuckled glad the trio were back together again, while Hermione was red in embarrassment.

**"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Aphrodite and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.**

**"I never thought to look in here!" She whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."**

"Wait, didn't it say that it was an enormous book?" Frank asked.

"Why yes, yes it did." Sirius said. Hermione blushed as everyone looked at her.

"You call that light?" Ginny asked. Hermione glared and before Narcissa could continue Percy butted in.

"I'd hate to see what heavy reading is." Percy said. Percy's siblings glared at him and he glanced down ignoring everyone's glares.

**"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.**

**At last she found what she was looking for.** **"I knew it! I knew it!"**

**"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.**

"So not much has changed then." Neville said. Hermione and Ron mock glared at Neville who smirked at them.

**"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!" **

"What's a Philosopher's Stone?" Ginny asked curious.

"You'll find out in a minute Ginny, Hermione tells us." Aphrodite said. Ginny nodded so Narcissa continued reading.

"**You mean the stone that can turn lead into gold?" Aphrodite asked. Ron looked at Aphrodite with an even more confused look while Hermione looked surprised but smiled anyway. **

**"The what?" said Ron.**

**"Oh, honestly, don't you ever read?**

"You should know Ron by now Mione. He'll only read Quidditch books." Aphrodite said with a grin towards her best friend. Ron turned red again and everyone else chuckled.

**Look – read that, there."**

**She pushed the book toward them, and Aphrodite and Ron read:**

**The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.**

**There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).**

"Bloody hell," James and Sirius said. Everyone who didn't know about the stone nodded in agreement.

**"See?" said Hermione, when Aphrodite and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"**

**"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Ron. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."**

"Not everyone would want it." Remus said.

"I certainly don't want to live forever." Aphrodite said. Dumbledore looked pleased at her but she didn't see it as she looked over to her Aunt Cissa to continue reading, who nodded as she understood the look and carried on reading.

**"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Aphrodite. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" **

"All those books," Ron moaned and everyone laughed again.

**The next morning in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Aphrodite and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Aphrodite remembered about Snape and the coming match.**

**"I'm going to play," she told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them… it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."**

"Good, don't be scared of Snape, just do what you want to do." James said. Aphrodite smiled at her dad.

**"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.**

"You know, everyone calls me a pessimist and yet you, Dray, Ron and sometimes Nev say these things out loud; I just keep them to myself." Aphrodite said. Hermione, Draco, Ron and Neville blushed.

**As the match drew nearer, however, Aphrodite became more and more nervous; whatever she told Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee? **

"Yes, just catch the snitch quickly." James said. Everyone who was at that game smiled (apart from Snape. That was a really fast game, fastest in history at Hogwarts.

**Aphrodite didn't know whether she was imagining it or not, but she seemed to keep running into Snape wherever she went. At times, she even wondered whether Snape was following her, trying to catch her on her own.**

_'She is way too observant, I don't know whether that is a good thing or not.'_ Snape thought as he eyed the raven haired girl. James, Lily, Sirius and Remus on the other hand were eyeing Snape.

"Why were you following my daughter?" James asked. Snape didn't answer so they were left to try and figure it out by themselves.

**Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to Aphrodite. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone? Aphrodite didn't see how he could — yet she sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds. **

"You better not be reading her mind, Snape." Sirius snarled.

"I wasn't, otherwise I would have known about her home life and informed the headmaster immediately." Snape said. Aphrodite looked shocked at this. _'Would he really? Or was he just pulling her leg?'_ She thought. Narcissa however continued reading before anyone could say anything else, though she did look over at Snape with a frown on her face '_He better not have used Legilimency on her or he won't like the consequences' _Narcissa thought.

**Aphrodite knew, when they wished her good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever see her alive again.**

"You need to calm down Honey; nothing dangerous can happen during a Quidditch match." James said. Everyone didn't look at James, wondering how he would react to the rogue bludger or the dementors that caused Aphrodite to fall off of her broom.

**Little did Aphrodite know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. **

"You guys are really good friends." Aphrodite said.

"Always." Neville said.

"Through thick and thin," Hermione said.

"Until the end." Draco said.

"And even if we fight we always make up in the end." Ron added.

Aphrodite jumped up and pulled her four friends into a group hug and they huffed her back. Aphrodite went back over to Oliver and sat on his lap. Lily, James, Sirius and Remus smiled over at their daughter glad she had people there for her when they couldn't though Sirius and Remus swore to themselves that they would always be there for her from now on. And Lily and James swore to themselves that when they go back to their own time they would change so that they got to see their daughter grow up.

**They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Aphrodite. **

"Glad that I could help guys," Neville and Draco said with a cheeky smile.

**"Now, don't forget, its _Locomotor Mortis_," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.**

**"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."**

**Back in the locker room, Oliver had taken Aphrodite aside.**

**"I don't want to pressure you, Aph, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favour Hufflepuff too much."**

"Did you?" James asked.

"Maybe, read and find out." Aphrodite said. James groaned he really hated that answer.

**"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even — blimey — Dumbledore's come to watch!" **

"Good, nothing will happen to you during the match." Lily said. Aphrodite smiled but Ron, Neville and Draco winced at the fight during the match.

**Aphrodite's heart did a somersault.** **"Dumbledore?" She said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.**

"Why would we lie to you?" Fred asked.

"You never know with you two." Aphrodite said with a grin.

"She's got you two there." Charlie said.

**Aphrodite could have laughed out loud with relief, she was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt her if Dumbledore was watching.** **Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.** **"I've never seen Snape look so mean," He told Hermione. "Look — they're off. Ouch!"** **Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy. **

**"Oh, sorry, Weasley; didn't see you there."** **Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.** **"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on her broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"**

"Draco!" Narcissa said in a warning tone.

**Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him.**

George grinned while the Marauders laughed.

**Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Aphrodite, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.**

**"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all.** **"Its people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents,**

Sirius was about to say something but Aphrodite walked over to him and climbed into his lap.

"Siri, it's okay. It doesn't matter anymore it's all forgotten." Aphrodite said hugging her godfather. Sirius hugged her tightly to him.

"No it's not Pup, if I hadn't been so stupid and convinced James and Lily to switch they would still be alive." Sirius said into her neck. James and Lily heard and glared over at Sirius.

"Sirius that's enough!" Lily said sternly. "It is not your fault, it is not your fault that Peter betrayed us and fouled all of us. James, Alice, Frank and I have been sent here for reason and that is to stop it for happening in our time so we get to see out baby girl grow up and Alice and Frank get to see Neville grow up, so stop blaming yourself." Lily glared.

"Lily-flower is right and we don't blame you and if you blame yourself one for time I'll hex you." James said sternly glaring at his old friend.

**Then there's the Weasley's, who've got no money — you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains." **

"Don't bother Professor. This will happen in every single chapter until near the end of the third book." Aphrodite said. McGonagall closed her mouth and settled for glaring at the Slytherin.

**Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.** **"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.**

"You tell 'em Son." Frank said with a smile.

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."**

**"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."**

**Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Aphrodite. **

Aphrodite smiled at her friends touched by how much they cared about her.

**"I'm warning you, Malfoy — one more word—"**

**"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Aphrodite —"**

**"What? Where?"**

**Aphrodite had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Aphrodite streaked toward the ground like a bullet.**

"Well as I said earlier dives are specialty she can do the Wronski Feint and she didn't even realise it." Oliver said smiling proudly at her, making her father and two adoptive fathers and her Uncle Ted all beam at her.

**"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy. **

"Or maybe it was the Snitch I can't believe what a git I was." Draco sighed.

"Dray stop and I mean it one more word about how you acted and I will not be afraid to hex you. You apologised and you have been forgiven so enough!" Aphrodite said sternly glaring at her other best friend.

**Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. **

"Oh no," Mrs. Weasley said. The twins were chanting his name while Ron flushing brightly continued reading.

**Neville hesitated, and then clambered over the back of his seat to help. **

The twins were now chanting for their brother and Neville along with James, Sirius, Oliver, Bill and Charlie. Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall looked sternly at the two boys.

**"Come on, Aphrodite!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Aphrodite sped straight at Snape — she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.**

**Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches — the next second, Aphrodite had pulled out of the dive, her arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in her hand.** **The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly. **

"How long was the game?" Charlie asked.

"Four minutes and 20 seconds." Professor McGonagall said. "Which beats your time of eight minutes and 40 seconds and James' time of 10 minutes and 45 seconds."

The Marauders cheered and James jumped up, grabbed Aphrodite out of Oliver's lap and started spinning her around while Aphrodite screamed in laughter. After a few minutes James set her back on her feet but kept a hold of her as she was dizzy after being spun around. "I'm so, so proud Aph never forget that." James said beaming at his daughter as he kissed her forehead before he let her go back over to Oliver.

**"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Aphrodite's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front. **

"You didn't see or hear the fight going on behind you?" Sirius asked amused. Hermione blushed while Aphrodite laughed and Ron turned red and Narcissa continued reading with a smile on her face.

**Aphrodite jumped off her broom, a foot from the ground. She couldn't believe it. She'd done it — the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. **

"You are brilliant," Sirius said smiling at his daughter.

"You and I need to have a seekers match. I want to see whose better." Charlie said.

"Alright, but don't feel bad to losing to a girl." Aphrodite said smirking at the second oldest Weasley brother. Charlie turned red while everyone laughed.

**Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, she saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped — then Aphrodite felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.**

**"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Aphrodite could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror… been keeping busy… excellent…"**

**Snape spat bitterly on the ground.**

"SEVERUS!" shouted McGonagall and Lily glaring at him but he just sneered back at them.

**Aphrodite left the locker room alone some time later, to take her Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. She couldn't ever remember feeling happier. She'd really done something to be proud of now – no one could say she was just a famous name any more. **

Everyone smiled sadly at her she really did hate her fame not that they could blame her for what it had cost her.

**The evening air had never smelled so sweet. She walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in her head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift her onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed.**

**Aphrodite had reached the shed. She leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. She'd done it, she'd shown Snape…** **And speaking of Snape…**

**A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Aphrodite victory faded from her mind as she watched. She recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner — what was going on?**

"You followed me?" Snape asked looking surprised at the girl.

"You didn't know that you were being followed by a eleven year old girl?" Moody asked. Snape blushed while everyone laughed.

"That is something you don't see every day." James said.

**Aphrodite jumped back on her Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle she saw Snape enter the forest at a run. She followed.**

**The trees were so thick she couldn't see where Snape had gone. She flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until she heard voices. She glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.** **She climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to her broomstick, trying to see through the leaves.**

"Good girl." Moody nodded his approval making everyone look at him in shock and for Tonks to cross her arms; she never got that much praise from her mentor.

"I love climbing trees, it's so peaceful." Aphrodite said sighing happily.

"Why?" Sirius asked fearing the answer.

"It's what I do at the Dursley's, I use them to get away from Dudley and his gang, I usually read in the tree and sometimes when they're not around I sis under the tree in the park where I made the make-shift grave and draw." Aphrodite said with a shrug of her shoulders.

**Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Aphrodite couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Aphrodite strained to catch what they were saying.**

**"… d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…"**

**"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy.**

"That failed," Bill said with a chuckle.

**"Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."**

**Aphrodite leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.**

**"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"**

**"B-b-but Severus, I —"**

**"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.**

**"I-I don't know what you—"**

**"You know perfectly well what I mean."**

**An owl hooted loudly, and Aphrodite nearly fell out of the tree. She steadied herself in time to hear Snape say, "— your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting." **

_'Damn owl,'_ Snape thought.

**"B-but I d-d-don't —"**

**"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."** **He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Aphrodite could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.**

**"Aph, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.**

**"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Aphrodite on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens and Oliver has been looking for you." Ron sniggered making Aphrodite blush. **

"Gryffindor parties are fun." The twins said.

"They are, I don't know about the other houses but could go all night." James said.

"We nearly did one time." Fred said.

"Then Professor McGonagall came and made us all go to bed." George sighed.

**"Never mind that now," said Aphrodite breathlessly her cheeks still rosy red at the mention of Oliver looking for her. "Let's find an empty room; you wait 'til you hear this…"**

**She made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, and then she told them what she'd seen and heard.**

**"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy — and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' — I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through —"**

**"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.**

**"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.**

"That's the end of the chapter." Narcissa said passing the book to Andy who opened up the next chapter and read.

"**Chapter Fourteen, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback." **Andy read.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Norbert the Dragon

**A/N: For those who have reviewed and left encouraging reviews you can ignore this and continue with the chapter. I would just like to say I do not appreciate people saying that men and men realtionships is wrong and that they have a mental problem as I take this as an insult as ****my Uncle is gay ****and he does not have a mental problem****, and ****there is nothing wrong with men couples**** you can not help you fall in love and I made Sirius and Remus married as I thought it would be something different. If you are going to review on my story please leave constructive critism not reviews that not only insult my Uncle but also other people who are gay. Let me make this perfectly clear I have nothing against gay couples hence why I put Sirius and Remus together and my Uncle is gay and I still love and care about him. **

**Anyone who does not like the Sirius and Remus pairing you don't have to read this story no one is forcing you to do so. So please leave constructive critism and to the people who have always been faithful to this story I apologise for the rant but I feel that needed to be said. So on with the Chapter :). **

**Padfootette. **

* * *

Chapter Sixteen:

"**Chapter Fourteen: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback," **Andy read.

"You mean to tell me that there really was a dragon?" McGonagall said. The trio and Charlie looked away.

"What do you have to do with this Charles?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Charlie looked at his mother and looked away.

"Why do you always have to be around dragons?" Sirius asked.

"You mean there is more than this one?" Lily asked frantically.

"The second time wasn't a choice of mine." Aphrodite said. Before anyone could say anything else Andy started the chapter as she noticed how uncomfortable her niece looked.

**Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd thought.** **In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet. ****Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Aphrodite passed Quirrell these days she gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.**

"We were so stupid." Ron said.

"No kidding," Aphrodite said.

"What's going on? Why do you guys not like this teacher other than the obvious?" Remus asked.

"You'll find out." The trio and surprising everyone Oliver said. Everyone groaned but they know that they won't say anything.

**Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and colour coding all her notes. Aphrodite and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.**

**"Hermione, the exams are ages away."**

**"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."**

"You guys are eleven not over six hundred." Remus pointed out.

"We tried telling her that." Aphrodite and Ron said. Hermione blushed and looked away from everyone.

"I've calmed down now." Hermione said.

**"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."**

**"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me…"**

"You really need to relax, Mione. Theirs is no need to over study. Take it from me; I know what it can do to a person." Sirius said. Remus and Lily glared at him, but Sirius just shrugged his shoulders at them and pretended he didn't notice their glares.

**Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones.**

"It never is," The twins and the Marauders said.

"Don't we know it?" All the kids said.

**It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or Aphrodite practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Ron spent most of his free time in the library with the girls, trying to get through all their extra work. "I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Aphrodite, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't look up until she heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"**

"What's Hagrid doing in the library?" James asked.

"Whatever it is I don't want to know." Lily said.

"I have a feeling that we are going to find out anyway." Remus said.

**Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat. "Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"**

**"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding; it's a Philosopher's St—"**

"Don't yell it around, Weasley. The students aren't supposed to know about the stone." Moody growled at Ron. All Ron could do was nodding his head mutely.

**"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"**

**"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Aphrodite, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy —"**

**"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen — come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh —"**

"Well he kind of did." Lily said.

"He just gave us a helping hand is all." Aphrodite said.

"That is very Slytherin of you Potter." Snape said.

"Well considering that I was almost put into Slytherin that I might have some of the characteristics Sir." Aphrodite shot back.

**"See you later, then," said Aphrodite.** **Hagrid shuffled off.**

**"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.**

**"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?**

**"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table. ****"Dragons!" He whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide. "**

"He actually managed to get a dragon?" Remus asked.

"Well yeah," The trio said offhand.

**"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Aphrodite.**

**"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. **

"Not everyone little brother," Charlie said.

"I sure didn't know that." Remus said.

"So you mean to tell me thatmy husband the almighty dark creature's expert doesn't know everything?" Sirius asked in mock shock.

"Oh shut up Padfoot." Remus said.

**It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden — anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania." **

"I was just visiting Norberta when I showed up here." Charlie said.

"Norbert's a girl!" Ron said astonished.

"Wait until we tell Hagrid that." Aphrodite laughed. Hermione and Ron laughed along with that.

**"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."**

**"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.**

**When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused. "So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"**

**"Yes," said Aphrodite. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."**

**Hagrid frowned at her. "O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts — I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."**

**"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. **

"That's one way to get things out of Hagrid." James said.

"Flattery and getting him drunk." Padfoot said.

"Don't we know it?" The trio, the twins and Bill and Charlie said.

"What am I going to do with you boys?" Mr. Weasley asked shaking his head at his sons with a fond smile on his face.

**Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you." **

"You would be great at pranks." George said.

"She would, Remus was and Lily did get a few on us as well." Sirius said. Hermione blushed, wondering what they would do when they find out about all the stunts that they did.

**Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Aphrodite and Ron beamed at Hermione. "Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantments… Professor Sprout — Professor Flitwick — Professor McGonagall —" he ticked them off on his fingers; "Professor Quirrell — an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."**

**"Snape?"**

**"Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."**

**Aphrodite knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as she was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything — except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.**

"Nah, Sev was always good at Dark Arts. So it can't be him, but I have to agree with you, that all the evidence is pointing at him." Lily said. As Aphrodite smiled at her mother and Snape glared at them.

**"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. Aren't you, Hagrid?" said Aphrodite anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"**

**"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.**

"And Voldemort," Aphrodite whispered quietly. Oliver heard her and held her tighter to his chest, as if he could protect her from the happenings of the book.

**"Well, that's something," Aphrodite muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."**

**"Can't, Aph, sorry," said Hagrid. Aphrodite noticed him glance at the fire. Aphrodite looked at it, too.**

**"Hagrid — what's that?" ****But she already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.**

"He had it from an egg?" Charlie asked.

"Did you think that he had bought it from someone as a hatchling and it took us that long to get to you?" Aphrodite asked. Charlie blushed and looked down to the ground.

"I can't believe that he actually managed to get a dragon." Andy said shaking her head before continuing reading.

**"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's — er…"**

**"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."**

**"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."**

**"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.**

**"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library —Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognize diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them." **

"They are and they are also vicious." Charlie said.

"We kind of figured that one out." Aphrodite said. Making her three fathers' and Lily look at her in concern and horror.

**He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't. "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," She said.**

"An excellent point Miss Granger." McGonagall commented.

**But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.** **So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut. ****"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed.**

The trio as well as Draco and Neville started to laugh.

"Have we ever had a peaceful year?" Hermione asked.

"Third year was the most peaceful I think." Aphrodite said.

"Aph, you had an escaped mass murderer out to get you." Ron said. Lily and James were staring wide eyed at their daughter.

Seeing the worried looks on her mum's and dad's faces she tried to reassure them. "Mum, dad don't worry it was only Siri, he broke out of Azkaban to protect me from Peter."

Lily and James looked relived and then brief anger flashed through their eyes and faces at the mention of the traitor. "Wait." Lily said. "_Peter's _animagus form is a rat and it sounds exactly like Ron's rat Scabbers." Lily continued growing concerned at the thought of the traitor being near her daughter for all those years and no one noticing.

"Don't worry Lily as there is not much left of this book, we'll finish it, have dinner and then I'll do a check on Aph to put everyone's mind at rest." Andy said.

"Thank you Andy." Lily said gratefully with James, Remus and Sirius nodding as well, Andy smiled reassuringly at them before continuing the book.

**As evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had now started making study schedules for Aphrodite and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts. Even though Aphrodite had been doing exceedingly well in her subjects she was finding it really hard to break the habit that the Dursleys and installed into her from an early age. **

Aphrodite blushed as the occupants in the room wanted to go after the Dursley's for their treatment of Aphrodite.

**Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Aphrodite another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: '****_It's hatching'_****. **

"You get to see it?" Charlie asked. The trio nodded and some of the people looked really excited about it.

**Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it. **

"You can be a good influence when it comes to class." Lily said. Hermione blushed while Aphrodite and Ron chuckled.

"She's influenced us into doing things a couple of times." Aphrodite said.

James suddenly burst out laughing making everyone look at him confused. "That sounds just like you Remus." James said through laughter to Remus.

**"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"**

**"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—"**

**"Shut up!" Aphrodite whispered.** **Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Aphrodite didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.**

"I heard almost everything." Draco said.

"You're just as nosy as I am." Aphrodite said cheekily making her friends laugh.

"It must be a Black trait then." Remus said.

"What do you mean?" Aphrodite asked.

"You, Ron and Draco all have Black traits." Remus said.

"We're related!" the three and the rest of the Weasley siblings shouted.

"All the pureblood families are. But it is possible that being nosy is a Black trait." Lily said. Hermione looked thoughtful so Andy continued reading.

**Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end,** **Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited. "It's nearly out." He ushered them inside. The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.** **They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.** **All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Aphrodite thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. **

Charlie glared at Aphrodite who just shrugged her shoulders.

"That's what it looked like." Aphrodite said.

"That is an accurate description. Have you ever thought about being a writer Aph?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe but I'll use a penname, to keep it anonymous." Aphrodite said.

"And what would this pen name be?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll let you know." Aphrodite said with a smile to her father.

"I think I could think of a name for you, Baby." Oliver whispered in her ear making Aphrodite blush.

**Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body; it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.** **It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.**

**"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.** **"Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!" said Hagrid.**

"He's officially lost his mind." Fred said.

"He is being completely irresponsible." Molly snapped.

"No he's not; if Hagrid saw the dragon getting viscous he would make sure we weren't near it." Aphrodite snapped back at her.

Molly went to argue back no doubt to reprimand her for her tone, but Arthur interrupted her. "Molly that's enough, Aph is right Hagrid may like dangerous animals but he would never intentionally let them get hurt."

**"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"**

**Hagrid was about to answer when the colour suddenly drained from his face — he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.**

"God, someone has seen, what else could go wrong?" Lily asked. When nobody answered Andy continued reading.

**"What's the matter?"**

**"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains — it's a kid — he's runnin' back up ter the school."** **Aphrodite bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.** **Malfoy had seen the dragon.** **Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione very nervous.** **They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.** **"Just let him go," Aphrodite urged. "Set him free." **

"She's too little, she'll die." Charlie said.

"I think Charlie has spent way too much time with Hagrid." George said.

"I totally agree Forge; we must drag him home some time." Fred said.

**"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."** **They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his game keeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor. ****"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?"**

**"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Aphrodite's ear. **

"He most definitely had, why didn't you three come to me from the start?" McGonagall asked.

"We didn't want our friend to get into trouble." Aphrodite said.

**"Hagrid," said Aphrodite loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."**

**Hagrid bit his lip.** **"I — I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."**

**Aphrodite suddenly turned to Ron. "Charlie." she said.**

"Brilliant." Sirius and James said to the confusion of some people.

**"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?" **

**"No — Charlie — your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"**

**"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"**

**And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.** **The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Aphrodite sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Aphrodite's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.**

**"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. Aphrodite looked at Ron's hand with wide eyes. "Ron!" Aphrodite said. "You need to go to the Hospital Wing. Now! I've been reading a book about dragons and it said that Hagrid's dragon has poisonous fangs." Aphrodite continued looking worriedly at her friend. **

"Aph's right you need to go to the hospital wing!" Charlie nearly yelled. Mrs. Weasley jumped up and nearly smothered Ron with a bear hug.

"Mum, I'm fine. Madame Pomfrey fixed me right up." Ron said.

**Ron pretended that he didn't hear her and carried on talking. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."**

"**RON!" Aphrodite shouted making Hermione and Ron jump. "It's not funny Norbert's fangs are poisonous you need to go see Madam Pomfrey Now!" **

"**Aph stop worrying I'm fine." Ron said with a shrug of his shoulders. **

"RON! You bloody idiot why didn't you listen to Aph, she's trying to help you and she's scared as she had read that book and you're bloody ignoring her." Charlie shouted.

**There was a tap on the dark window.** **"It's Hedwig!" said Aphrodite, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"** **The three of them put their heads together to read the note.**

_**Dear Ron,**_

_**How are you? Thanks for the letter — I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon.**_

_**Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.**_

_**Send me an answer as soon as possible.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Charlie**_

**They looked at one another.** **"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Aphrodite. "It shouldn't be too difficult – I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."** **It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other two agreed with her. Anything to get rid of Norbert — and Malfoy.**

**There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey — would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Aphrodite was right about Norbert's fangs being poisonous. ****Aphrodite and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.** **"It's not just my hand," He whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me — I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me**

"No, I don't think she would believe you." Sirius said.

"I don't think she believed me but she didn't question it." Ron said shrugging.

— **I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."**

**Aphrodite and Hermione tried to calm Ron down.** **"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.**

**"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no — I've just remembered — Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."**

"You guys have some serious bad luck." Fred chuckled.

"It's Aph's' fault." Ron and Hermione said.

"Some friends you are." Aphrodite said crossing her arms and huffing.

"We're just teasing." Hermione said.

"I know." Aphrodite said with a smile.

**Aphrodite and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep. ****"It's too late to change the plan now," Aphrodite told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."**

**They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.** **"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage — nothin' I can't handle."** **When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg. ****"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot — jus' playin' — he's only a baby, after all."** **The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Aphrodite and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.**

"You mean to tell me that you were up the Astronomy tower at one in the morning because you were helping Hagrid." McGonagall asked guilt starting to build up in her chest, as Hermione and Aphrodite.

**They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate. "He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."**

"So that's where all the fluff came from." Charlie mused. Everyone now chuckled, imagining a baby dragon with a teddy bear.

**From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Aphrodite as though the teddy was having his head torn off. "Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Aphrodite and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mummy will never forget you!" How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another – even one of Aphrodite's shortcuts didn't make the work much easier. **

"I'd imagine so, and without the map." George said.

"You glad that you guys gave it to me now?" Aphrodite asked.

"Absolutely Ickle Aphiekins, it's rightfully yours." Fred said.

"Wait what map?" Molly asked glaring at the three, neither of them answered so Andy continued reading.

**"Nearly there!" Aphrodite panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.** **Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows,**

"It's easy to forget." James said.

**Staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared. Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear. "Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you —"**

**"You don't understand, Professor. Aphrodite Potter's coming — she's got a dragon!" **

The twins and the Marauders were chuckling but stopped as Aphrodite glared at them.

**"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!" The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig. "Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"**

**"Don't," Aphrodite advised her. **

"You're not a bad singer I just didn't want us to get caught. You're better than I am anyway." Aphrodite said.

"Aph, don't talk rubbish you're a brilliant singer as you sang the songs in the sorting chapter and that was when you weren't putting your heart into it." Hermione said, making everyone look at Aphrodite in shock.

"I didn't know you liked music." Remus said.

"You learn something new every day." Sirius said with a smile.

**Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness. Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Aphrodite and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Aphrodite and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much. At last, Norbert was going… going… gone.**

Lily, Alice, Andy, Narcissa and Molly sighed in relief; the kids would be safe from dragons this year.

**They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon — Malfoy in detention — what could spoil their happiness?** **The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.** **"Well, well, well," He whispered, "we are in trouble."** **They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.**

"NO!" the Marauders and the twins yelled.

"I know we were so stupid." Aphrodite said hanging her head.

"Aphrodite! Don't ever let me catch you saying that again. You are not stupid and I did that plenty of times when I was at Hogwarts." James said sternly. Aphrodite nodded and smiled at her dad before turning back to her Aunt Andy.

"That was the end of the chapter." Andy said as she passed the book to Ted. Ted cleared his throat and then read.

**"Chapter Fifteen, The Forbidden Forest." **


	17. Chapter Seventeen: The Forbidden Forest

Chapter Seventeen:

"**Chapter Sixteen: Forbidden Forest" **Ted read.

"What were you doing in the Forest?" Lily asked.

"Detention." Aphrodite said with a shrug.

"WHAT!" shouted Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Oliver, but Aphrodite just told her Uncle Ted to continue reading and he did so reluctantly.

**Things couldn't have been worse. **

"Are you sure about that?" Sirius asked, "You're going to be sent in to the bloody Forbidden Forest. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Sirius shouted the last part at McGonagall and Dumbledore.

"I didn't know until afterwards what the detention was, Albus decided what they were going to do for detention." McGonagall said making everyone turn and glare at Dumbledore.

"If my daughter gets hurt in that forest Dumbledore. You. Will. Regret. It." James snarled.

**Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each other around Aphrodite's brain, each more feeble than the last. **

"You should always have something ready." Fred said trying to lighten the mood in the room.

**She couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? **

"It happens; hopefully it won't be too bad." Remus said. The Gryffindors fifth year and up winced, it was rather harsh.

"I don't want to know." Sirius said seeing the wince.

"I'm sorry I did that, I was just hoping that you wouldn't take after your father and adoptive father." McGonagall said sheepishly, making those who didn't know what she did look at her confused.

**There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes.** **Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.**

"I wouldn't take away a family heirloom." McGonagall said.

**Had Aphrodite thought that things couldn't have been worse? She was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.**

**"Aph!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag—"**

"Sorry Aph." Neville said.

"Its fine Nev don't worry about it." Aphrodite smiled at him.

**Aphrodite shook her head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.**

**"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."** **It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.**

**"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble.** **I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"**

"I would NEVER, EVER do that to Nev how could you even think I would." Aphrodite shouted. "I'm so sorry Nev." She said sadly her hair turning a dull dark blue.

"Aph don't worry about it I understand. I was hurt when McGonagall said it but then I realised you wouldn't say something like that." Neville said and giving his little sister a tight hug.

**Aphrodite caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true because Neville was looking stunned and hurt.** **Poor, Neville — Aphrodite knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them. **

"Sorry." Aphrodite mumbled her hair turning an even darker shade of blue.

**"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! **

"That certainly isn't true." Remus said.

"I wasn't going to tell the daughter of James Potter that her father and his friends did the same thing. That's just a recipe for trouble." McGonagall said.

**You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Miss Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. **

"That is low Minerva." James said appalled by how his favourite teacher was treating his daughter and her friends. McGonagall had the decency to look ashamed.

"Don't worry dad I'm used to it. Everyone expects me to be this great leader and saviour or whatever just because I'm the bloody Girl Who Lived even though I did nothing to bloody deserve it. It was you and mum who got rid of Voldemort not me and everyone's always saying 'well done' or 'thank you' or 'are you really Aphrodite Potter' and gawks at my bloody forehead nobody ever remembers that I lost my mum and dad. And when something happens nobody wants to listen to my side of the story and just jump to conclusions about me and when something bad happens at Hogwarts I'm automatically to blame as I'm the Girl Who Lived making the whole bloody school turn on me, while the teachers see it and do nothing." Aphrodite said in a monotone voice, making everyone in the room who had ever done that wince.

Oliver held her tighter to him trying to comfort her he didn't like hearing her like that.

**All three of you will receive detentions — yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous — and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor." **

"Fifty?" the Marauders, Frank, Alice, Andy, Ted, Narcissa, Tonks, Kingsley, Bill and Charlie gasped.

"Wait for it," Fred and George said.

**"Fifty?" Aphrodite gasped — they would lose the lead, the lead she'd won in the last Quidditch match.**

**"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.**

"Now that's just unfair you only took twenty from Draco." Sirius said.

"Their house would turn on them," Remus said.

"I didn't think of it at the time." McGonagall mumbled.

**"Professor — please —"**

**"You can't —"**

**"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. **

"That wasn't Aph who said you can't that was me. Why do you always blame my little sister for everything?" Neville shouted.

**Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students." **

"And here comes the torture." James said glaring at McGonagall.

**A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. ****Aphrodite felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. How could they ever make up for this?**

"Stop V-Vol-Voldemort from being reborn." Ron said. Aphrodite glared at him to get him to shut up.

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" James asked worried for his daughter.

**Aphrodite didn't sleep all night. She could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. Aphrodite couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. She knew Neville, like herself, was dreading the dawn. **

"I was thinking about what Gran would say." Neville mumbled.

"I would have too if my parents were alive or if I lived with Sirius and Remus, the Dursley's however wouldn't care, they probably be upset that the dragon didn't kill me." Aphrodite said. Everyone was now looking ready to kill.

Remus took a deep breath to get his wolf and anger under control. "The difference is Aph James, Lily, Sirius and I would hear your side of the story first and why you were out that late and we wouldn't be angry we would have told you should have told a Professor as we would have been worried you were carrying a dragon through the school."

**What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done? **

"Nothing good, I'm sure." Lily said.

**At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Aphrodite Potter, the famous Aphrodite Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, her and a couple of other stupid first years.**

"How often does this happen to you?" Andy asked.

"Every year so far apart from third year." Aphrodite said, making all the adults to glare at the three Professors in the room.

**From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Aphrodite was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on her, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. **

"That is utterly ridiculous." Tonks and Ted said disgusted how their old house was treating their nice/cousin.

"Wait until next book." Aphrodite mumbled. Tonks and Ted would definitely hate it that the Hufflepuffs accused her of attacking fellow students.

**Everywhere Aphrodite went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted her.** **Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as she walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"**

"Bloody gits," James said.

**Only Ron and Oliver stood by her.**

Lily stood up and walked over to her daughter's best friend and hugged him.

"Thank you for standing by her." Lily said. Ron then felt a little guilty for the whole thing during fourth year and what had happened earlier.

Lily then walked over and hugged Oliver and thanked him before returning to her seat.

**"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here and people still like them."**

**"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Aphrodite miserably.**

**"Well — no," Ron admitted.**

**It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Aphrodite swore to herself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. She'd had it with sneaking around and spying. **

"How long did that last?" Sirius asked chuckling a bit.

"After the detention." Aphrodite admitted. Everyone chuckled; it must have been hard for Aph to not be nosy.

**That every morning Oliver came up to her and asked her what had happened. Once Aphrodite had told Oliver everything starting with how she found out that Hagrid had a dragon and she was trying to get it to Charlie so Hagrid wouldn't get into trouble. Oliver had hugged her and kissed her cheek saying he didn't blame her as she was trying to help a friend, and that's what he liked about her and he promised he would try and get people to lay off of her, and that he was there for her if she ever needed him and gave her one more kiss on the cheek before going to speak to the Gryffindors. **

"Thank you for trying Babe." Aphrodite said kissing his cheek, though her hair was still a dark blue colour.

"I will always help you Di you know that and I will always be there for you." Oliver said kissing her on the lips.

**Even with Oliver saying he believed her and trying to get everyone to lay off of her, she still felt so ashamed of herself that she went to Oliver and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.**

"What!" James shouted. "Everyone made you feel that bad you wanted to give up the thing that you enjoyed." James was livid at the treatment of his baby girl in just her first year.

**"Resign?" Oliver asked. "Why do you want to resign Aph?" Oliver asked he then pulled her into a hug as he saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "Hey, I it's alright I'm here for you and if anyone has hurt you in any way I want you to come to me. Understand?" Oliver said, he felt Aphrodite nod her head against his chest and kissed the top of her head. ****But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Aphrodite during practice, and if they had to speak about her, they called her "the Seeker." **

"WHAT!" shouted Oliver before turning to Aph he asked. "Why didn't you tell me I would have made them stop?"

"I felt like I deserved it, even with all you had told me." Aphrodite said hanging her head.

"Oh, baby." Oliver sighed sadly pulling Aphrodite closer to his chest and kissing her hair before burying his head in her hair.

"Did you two as well?" Remus asked the twins.

"Nah, we only did in a teasing fashion." Fred said.

"It made me feel slightly better as well." Aphrodite admitted. The twins smiled at their little sister they didn't know Angelina, Alicia and Katie had been so mean to her and they made a promise to themselves that when these books are finished and they go back t Hogwarts they will be having a serious talk to those three.

**Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Aphrodite, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.** **Aphrodite was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying she had to do kept her mind off her misery.**

**She, Ron, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…****Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Aphrodite's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern her was put to an unexpected test.**

"Oh no, what happens?" Ginny asked snidely. Personally she felt Aphrodite didn't get treated badly enough, she felt Aphrodite deserved everything she got.

Her father and brothers heard her tone directed at Aph and glared at her promising they will be talking about her attitude and how she treats Aph.

**Walking back from the library on her own one afternoon, she heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As she drew closer, she heard Quirrell's voice.** **"No — no — not again, please —"** **It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Aphrodite moved closer.** **"All right — all right —" she heard Quirrell sob. ****Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Aphrodite didn't think Quirrell had even noticed her. She waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, and then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Aphrodite was halfway toward it before she remembered what she'd promised herself about not meddling.** **All the same, she'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room,**

"You have to admit; you three did do a good job but got the wrong person." Alice said.

"We know, but Professor Snape did implicate himself a lot as well." Aphrodite said.

"You'd make a brilliant Auror girlie." Moody smiled at her, making the first true smile come onto her face since the beginning of the chapter.

**And from what Aphrodite had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step — Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.**

**Aphrodite went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Aphrodite told them what she'd heard.**

**"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell —"**

**"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.**

**"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Aph?"**

**The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Aphrodite could.** **"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."**

**"But we've got no proof!" said Aphrodite. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor — who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."**

**Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.** **"If we just do a bit of poking around —"**

**"No," said Aphrodite flatly, "we've done enough poking around."**

"You really tried your hardest." Lily said with a smile.

"She's just really stubborn." Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco said. Aphrodite blushed while her two adoptive fathers chuckled.

"She comes by it naturally." Sirius chuckled.

"Hey!" Lily and James shouted, but then smiled over at their daughter. Everyone chuckled and Ted continued reading.

**She pulled a map of Jupiter toward her and started to learn the names of its moons.**

**The following morning, notes were delivered to Aphrodite, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:**

**_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight._**

**_Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._**

**_Professor McGonagall_**

**Aphrodite had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore over the points they'd lost. She half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Aphrodite, she felt they deserved what they'd got.**

**At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there — and so was Malfoy. Aphrodite had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.**

**"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.** **"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them.**

"Not really, we just made sure that we weren't caught." Aphrodite said. The teachers groaned

**"Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case there ever needed… Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do." ****They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Aphrodite wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. **

"What exactly possessed you to send four first years into the forest at night?" Sirius asked.

"I told you I didn't know they went into the forest. Albus just told me that Hagrid needed some help." McGonagall said.

**The moon was bright,**

"Was it a full moon?" Remus asked.

"I don't remember. Hermione, Neville, Draco, do you guys remember?" Aphrodite asked.

"No," Neville and Draco said shaking their heads.

Hermione looked thoughtful for a minute before she nodded her head. "Yeah it was." All the adults had wide eyes as they looked at the four who went into the forest and then turned and glared at Dumbledore for sending them in there when it was a full moon.

**But clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Aphrodite could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout. ****"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started." ****Aphrodite's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. Her relief must have showed in her face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, girl — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." **

"Hagrid wouldn't let any of them get hurt." Sirius said with a smirk.

**At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.** **"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual.**

Without anyone noticing except Oliver both Aphrodite and Draco shivered, Aphrodite often has nightmares but it wasn't very often her nightmare were often of the third task and a strange corridor with a locked door. Draco also had some nightmares of that night as it wasn't something you forgot in a hurry.

**"We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard."**

**Neville clutched the sleeve of Aphrodite's robe and made a choking noise.**

"Has anyone had a crush on her since she moved into the boys' dorm?" James asked.

"Yes," Ron and Neville said.

"Really?" Aphrodite asked.

"You didn't know?" Neville asked. Aph shook her head and looked curiously to her two dorm mates.

"Dean and Seamus both have, but at different times, but Seamus still does Dean doesn't anymore." Ron said. Aphrodite blushed and buried her face into Oliver's shoulder.

"You know there is some in Slytherin who have a crush on you Aph and they keep on asking me to ask them out for you even though I told them you are going out with Oliver." Draco said smirking at his friend. While everyone looked from him to Aph.

"W-what who is it?" Aphrodite asked.

"Okay I'll tell you its Blaise, Theo, Terence Higgs and some Sixth year and Seventh years." Draco smirked as Aphrodite blushed the Weasley red.

"WHAT! How many boys does my daughter have going after her?" James said thinking he will have to go up to Hogwarts and threaten to castrate those boys if they go anywhere near his baby.

Ron, Neville, Draco and Hermione looked at each other before answering. "Well there's Seamus, Collin he's a third year, this right slime ball Cormac McLaggen, Blaise, Theo, Terence Higgs, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote, Robert Vane (**A/N: I have made Romilda Vane have a twin brother. And the reason that there are so many boys who like her is because some want her for her fame and because she is a veela, even though she doesn't know it yet.) **Cedric Diggory did, and some for his friends for example Morris."

"All those boys like my daughter/niece." James, Sirius, Remus, Ted and Kingsley shouted. **(A/N: Sorry for another one I just wanted to explain that Kingsley sees Aphrodite as a niece that's why he is calling her his niece.) **

"Yeah but Blaise and Theo are alright they know Aph loves Oliver and they won't do anything to her I'll make sure of it." Draco promised. Aphrodite's fathers', Ted, Frank and Kingsley still didn't look happy but they nodded and Ted carried on reading.

**"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Aph, Hermione?"**

**"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."**

**"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."**

**"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. **

"What a git." Charlie said.

**Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.** **"I'm not going in that forest," He said, and Aphrodite was surprised to hear the note of panic in his voice. **

**"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."**

**"But this is servant stuff; it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"**

**"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."**

"Go Hagrid!" All the Gryffindor's cheered along with Ted, Andy, Tonks and Kingsley.

**Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.**

**"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."**

**He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest. ****"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood.**

Gasps were heard around the room.

"What's fast enough to kill a Unicorn?" Lily asked.

"I don't think we want to know." Remus said with a pale face.

McGonagall looked at the four who went into the forest with wide eyes and ashen coloured face. "I...I didn't know a...a unicorn had be-been killed otherwise I would of never of allowed your detention in there if I had known where you were going."

**There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."**

**"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.**

**"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. **

**"An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."**

**"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.**

**"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Aphrodite, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. **

"That's a bad pairing." Sirius said.

"No kidding," the four said.

**Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."**

**The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Aphrodite, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.** **They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. ****Aphrodite saw that Hagrid looked very worried. ****"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Aphrodite asked,**

"We're not fast enough, cub." Remus said with a smile.

"I know that now, but it was Draco's fault for mentioning that werewolves were in the forest sorry." Aphrodite said blushing.

"Don't worry about it cub." Remus smiled reassuringly at his daughter.

"So that's why your mind was stuck on werewolves that night." Hermione mused with a smile.

**Knowing the answer was no but it was a creature even Muggles knew. **

"How many creatures do Muggles know about?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Almost all of them," Aphrodite said.

"They're in most mythologies." Hermione said.

**"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."**

**They walked past a mossy tree stump. Aphrodite could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.**

**"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"**

"WHAT! WHAT IS IT?!" shouted everyone in the room who didn't know what it was including Neville, Draco and Ron as they didn't know that anything had happened when the girls were with Hagrid.

**Hagrid seized Aphrodite and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. **

"You could hear that?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah." Aphrodite said with a shrug though she was starting to turn pale.

**Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.**

**"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."**

**"A werewolf?" Aphrodite suggested. **

Remus looked over at Aphrodite and shrugged.

"I may have remembered you, if somewhat vaguely." Aphrodite said. Remus nodded with a smile.

**"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."**

**They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.**

**"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself — I'm armed!"**

**And into the clearing came — was it a man, or a horse? ****To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Aphrodite's and Hermione's jaws dropped.**

**"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"** **He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.**

**"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"**

**"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Aphrodite Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.**

**"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.**

**"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"**

**"Erm —"**

**"A bit," said Hermione timidly.**

"A bit?" Neville asked. Hermione blushed and looked down.

**"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin'?"**

**Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.**

**"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now." **

"We know," Aphrodite, Sirius and Remus mumbled. Oliver pulled Aphrodite closer, giving her what little comfort he could provide.

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"**

**"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."**

**"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"**

**Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets." **

"Urgh, never question a centaur, they never give a straight answer." Sirius said.

"I take it that you find it very irritating?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yes, they just repeat themselves over and over again, I can't stand it!" Sirius said.

**A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and - bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan. ****"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"**

**"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"**

**"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin' about it?"**

**Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.**

"Urgh," Sirius growled. Everyone chuckled and Ted continued.

**"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."**

**Aphrodite and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.**

**"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."**

"No kidding," Everyone said.

**"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.**

**"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."**

**"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before."**

**They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Aphrodite kept looking nervously over her shoulder. She had the nasty feeling they were being watched. **

"He was watching us." Aphrodite said with wide eyes paling even further.

"Who was?" The adults asked. Aphrodite shook her head and cuddled closer to her boy who held her tighter.

**She was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.** **"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"**

**"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path; I'll come back for yeh!"** **They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.**

**"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.**

**"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place."**

Neville smiled in appreciation that his little sister cared so much for him eve then.

"Draco I'm sorry." Aphrodite said.

"Aph's its fine and what was it you said earlier... oh yes it's all been forgiven so don't apologise for what happened in the past." Draco said firmly.

**The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Aphrodite's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?** **At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.**

"DRACO!" shouted Narcissa.

"I'm sorry Nev." Draco apologised.

"Its fine Draco don't worry." Neville smiled at him.

**"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Aph, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Aphrodite, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."**

"You really do have the worst luck ever." Fred said shaking his head.

"It goes both ways." The five of them said together. This made a lot of people chuckle.

**So Aphrodite set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Aphrodite thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker.**

**There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Aphrodite could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.**

**"Look —" She murmured, holding out her arm to stop Malfoy.**

"What is it?" Lily, Alice, Narcissa and Andy asked.

**Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.** **It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Aphrodite had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. ****Aphrodite had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Aphrodite, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood. **

"He's doing what?" Tonks asked.

"He's drinking the blood." Remus said with a look of disgust on his face.

"Who would be that desperate?" Ginny asked.

"Voldemort," Aphrodite said.

"Wait, Potter, you're telling me that was the Dark Lord under that hood?" Snape asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, why is it so surprising? He's been after me my whole life." Aphrodite said. Lily, James, Alice and Frank were now more determined than ever to change the future.

**"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"** **Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted — so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Aphrodite — unicorn blood was dribbling down its front.** **It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Aphrodite — she couldn't move for fear. **

"Now isn't the time to freeze." Sirius said. Oliver was now holding Aphrodite even closer to him if that were possible.

**Then a pain like she'd never felt before pierced her head; it was as though her scar were on fire. **

"What's going on, what's with your scar?" James asked worriedly. When nobody answered Ted continued reading even though James and Lily were still looking worried and he kept looking up at his niece worriedly he didn't know about this and by the look on his face and most people in the room neither did they.

**Half blinded, she staggered backward. She heard hooves behind her, galloping, and something jumped clean over Aphrodite, charging at the figure.**

**The pain in Aphrodite's head was so bad she fell to her knees.**

"How the hell do you get out of there?" Lily asked clinging onto James for dear life.

"Is it always that bad Aph?" Neville asked white faced, Aphrodite just nodded.

**It took a minute or two to pass. When she looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over her, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.** **"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Aphrodite to her feet.**

"A centaur is helping you?" Sirius asked shocked. When Aphrodite nodded sheepishly Sirius as well as the other adults looked impressed.

"You really do amazing things." Remus said with a smile.

**"Yes — thank you — what was that?"** **The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Aphrodite, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Aphrodite's forehead.** **"You are the Potter girl," he said.**

"Even centaurs know you." Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

**"You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way. **

"No way," James said.

"YOU GOT TO RIDE A CENTAUR!" Sirius yelled. Everyone was looking at Aphrodite whose hair turned fusia again.

**"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Aphrodite could clamber onto his back.** **There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.** **"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"**

**"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter girl. The quicker she leaves this forest, the better."**

**"What have you been telling her?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"**

**Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.** **Bane kicked his back legs in anger.**

"I don't like this centaur." James mumbled.

**"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!" ****Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Aphrodite had to grab his shoulders to stay on.**

"OI! Be careful." James shouted at the book.

**"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."**

"Okay, he is forgiven now." James said. Aphrodite shook her head at her dad with a fond smile on her face.

"Dad, Firenze is alright dad he's my friend I go and talk to him all the time and he always cheers me up." Aphrodite said.

"Well I'm glad." James said with a smile while still in shock that his daughter was able to befriend a Centaur, he wished Firenze was hear no so he could thank him for rescuing his daughter and being such a good friend to her.

**And Firenze whisked around; with Aphrodite clutching on as best she could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.** **Aphrodite didn't have a clue what was going on.** **"Why's Bane so angry?" She asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"**

**Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Aphrodite to keep her head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Aphrodite's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Aphrodite thought Firenze didn't want to talk to her anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped. ****"Aphrodite Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?" **

"You actually have a normal conversation with a centaur?" Charlie asked impressed. While Aphrodite just nodded her head before buying it back into Oliver's chest.

**"No," said Aphrodite, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."**

**"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."**

**Aphrodite stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled, silver in the moonlight.** **"But who'd be that desperate?" She wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"**

"One would think." Remus said. The others nodded so Ted continued.

**"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else — something that will bring you back to full strength and power — something that will mean you can never die. Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment, Miss Potter?**

**"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course — the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who —"**

**"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"**

**It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Aphrodite's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, she seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told her on the night they had met: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die." **

"You quickly figured that out." Tonks said. Aphrodite smiled sheepishly and nodded.

**"Do you mean," Aphrodite croaked, "that was Vol-"**

**"Aph! Aph, are you all right?"** **Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.**

**"I'm fine," said Aphrodite, hardly knowing what she was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."**

**"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."** **Aphrodite slid off his back.** **"Good luck, Aphrodite Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."**

"We all did," Mrs. Weasley said.

**He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Aphrodite shivering behind him.**

**Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Aphrodite roughly shook him awake.**

"You dream about Quidditch?" Charlie asked with a smile on his face. Ron's face turned red and the others chuckled.

**In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Aphrodite began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest.** **Aphrodite couldn't sit down. She paced up and down in front of the fire. She was still shaking.**

"Oh, baby." Lily sighed getting up to hug her daughter.

**"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"**

**"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.** **Aphrodite wasn't listening.**

"That happens a lot when it comes to the name." Ron mumbled.

**"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well." **

"Merlin, I hope not," Sirius, Remus and Oliver said.

**"Will you stop saying the name?" Ron hissed.**

**"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Aphrodite went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."**

"APHRODITE DOREA LILY POTTER STOP SAYING SUCH THINGS!" Andy shouted looking very frightened at the thought of her niece dying.

"When she's working things out and she scared she gets like that." Hermione said with Ron, Neville and Draco nodding their agreements.

**Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.**

**"Aph, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."**

"It is. But when it comes to Centres they're the only ones that can tell the future as they have been trained that way since birth and they are nearly always right." McGonagall said.

**"And to think I've been worrying about my potion final," Ron said. The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over. **

"Please be something good, please be something good." Lily said.

**When Aphrodite pulled back her sheets, she found her invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:**

**_Just in case. _**

"Good, you got it back." Sirius said.

As Ted closed the book there was a bright flash of light and Firenze appeared in the corner as well as a note that landed in Ted's lap, he picked it up and read:

_Dear Everyone,_

_We have decided that Firenze can come in and join the readings as he is a very good friend to Aph and also fought in the war alongside Aph so we decided he has the right to be here. We have also told him what has happened in the current chapters so you don't need to explain anything you can just carry on reading the next chapter. _

_Thanks _

_T.K.S_

Once Ted had finished reading the note it disappeared and Aphrodite got up and hugged Firenze and everyone was shocked to see that he hugged her back. "Aph, how have you been fairing?" He asked in his sorrowful voice.

Aphrodite smiled at him. "I'm fine Firenze. How are you?"

"I am well young one." Firenze murmured than burst out laughing when Aphrodite started to pout. "I am sorry, but it was too hard to resist calling you that." He said as he let Aphrodite go, as she went back and sat in Oliver's lap with a bright smile on her face and her hair a bright purple.

"Firenze we would like to thank you for all you have done for our daughter." James said.

"It is nothing she has always been kind to me and the other Centaurs she is welcome in our herd and she has been a great friend to me and even though I have not done it yet I would be happy to fight in the war with her." Firenze said as he sat down on the floor between Aphrodite's sofa and the one with her parents on it.

After Firenze was comfortable Ted passed the book to Ron, who opened it and groaned when he saw the chapter title.

"**Chapter Sixteen, Through the Trapdoor." **Ron read.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Through the Trapdoor

Chapter Eighteen:

"Miss Potter, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley and Mr Longbottom, I would like to apologise for how I treated you in your first year, it was wrong of me and I am very disappointed in myself especially when it comes to you Miss Potter I judged you unfairly and for that I am sorry." McGonagall said sincerely, the three nodded and accepted her apology and Ron read the chapter title.

"**Chapter Seventeen: Through the Trapdoor," **Ron read.

"Oh dear Merlin, you are bound and determined to give me grey hair aren't you?" Sirius asked.

"Sorry Siri," Aphrodite said with a smile. Sirius and Remus shook their head while Oliver chuckled and kissed Aphrodite again.

**In years to come, Aphrodite would never quite remember how she had managed to get through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.** **It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-cheating spell. **

"Has anyone ever tried to cheat?" Hermione asked.

"Every now and then." McGonagall said.

"Now that's just plan sad." Aphrodite muttered too low for anyone to hear.

**They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. **

"That is always fun," Lily said. Everyone nodded with her.

**Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. **

"I that's not ironic, then I don't know what is." Sirius said with a smirk.

**Aphrodite did the best she could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in her forehead, which had been bothering her ever since her trip into the forest. **

"Does that happen often?" Lily asked.

"More since last summer." Aphrodite said she unconsciously rubbed her forehead.

"What actually happened last summer Honey?" James asked carefully. Aphrodite shook her head and looked down trying hard not to cry. Oliver pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms tighter around her.

**Neville thought Aphrodite had a bad case of exam nerves because Aphrodite couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Aphrodite kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it. **

"Nightmares I'm used to." Aphrodite said again. Oliver kisser her and then held her and made a silent promise to try and beat the nightmares away.

**Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Aphrodite had seen in the forest or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Aphrodite. **

"It was a bit of both to tell you the truth." Ron said.

"Same here," Hermione said.

**The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.**

**Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Aphrodite couldn't help cheering with the rest.**

**"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds.** **"I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." ****Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. **

"He loves it." The twins and the Marauders said.

**"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Aph, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."**

**Aphrodite was rubbing her forehead.** **"I wish I knew what this means!" she burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often as this."**

**"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.**

**"I'm not ill," said Aphrodite. "I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming…"**

**Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.** **"Aph, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once; he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."**

"Sorry Nev." Ron said sheepishly, Neville smiled at him and just waved away the apology.

**Aphrodite nodded, but she couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something she'd forgotten to do, something important.**

"You've thought of something else haven't you?" Sirius asked. Aphrodite nodded and now everyone was wondering what that something was.

**When she tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."**

**Aphrodite was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. She watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent her letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy… never… but…**

Everyone leaned forward unconsciously especially Moody who was trying to figure out what she had worked out and he hadn't.

**Aphrodite suddenly jumped to her feet.**

**"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.**

**"I've just thought of something," said Aphrodite. She had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."**

**"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.**

**"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Aphrodite, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?**

"Now that is suspicious." Tonks said.

"If that guy knows Hagrid then he knew what he wanted most and how to get him to open up and tell him almost everything." Moody said impressed with how quickly Aphrodite had pieced it all together especially as she was eleven and she had worked it out quicker than the seven Aurors that are in the room even if four of them are form the past.

**How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?" **

"Because you were young and you usually shouldn't have to worry about something like this. That is supposed to be the teacher's job." Lily said.

"Yeah but if I left it to them Hogwarts would of been destroyed in my first year." Aphrodite mumbled to low for people to hear her except Oliver, Remus and Sirius.

**"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Aphrodite, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.**

**Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.** **"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"**

**"Yes, please," said Ron, but Aphrodite cut him off.**

"Aphrodite don't be so rude to Ron and Hagrid." Molly snapped.

"Molly enough you are not Aph's mother. Yes we have looked after her in the summer holidays but that is because she is Ron's best friend and she was staying under our roof and because we care about her and I'm not saying I don't care about her because I do. I care about her as if she was my own daughter, but there is a line that you can't cross and you keep putting your foot over that line. We are not her parents and you need to get that idea out of your head right now I don't care what Albus has told you, you cannot force her to love someone she does not and if you try a Love Potion again you will find yourself somewhere as else to live. Don't give e that look I was good at Potions if you remember and I caught you trying to give her one when she was staying with us last year and enough is enough." Arthur shouted at his wife.

**"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"**

**"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."** **He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.** **"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head — that's one of the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."**

**Aphrodite sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"**

**"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here… He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…****Let's see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"**

**"And did he — did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Aphrodite asked, trying to keep her voice calm.**

"You are brilliant for an eleven year old." Bill said. Aphrodite blushed, while Ron went on.

**"Well — yeah — how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep —" **

"So now whoever it is that is after the Stone knows how to get past Fluffy." Remus said. The trio nodded and looked away.

**Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.** **"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey — where're yeh goin'?"**

**Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds. ****"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Aphrodite. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak — it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. **

"I would back you up and don't worry about Bane Olfred will sort him out." Firenze confirmed.

At the confused looks Aphrodite explained "Olfred is the herd leader of the Centaurs."

**Where's Dumbledore's office?" ****They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.**

"Why didn't,"

"You think,"

"Of us, dear brother?" the twins asked.

"I have no idea, this all happened very fast." Ron said.

"Sorry," Aphrodite mumbled her words muffled by Oliver's shirt.

**"We'll just have to —" Aphrodite began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.**

**"What are you three doing inside?"** **It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.**

**"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Aphrodite and Ron thought.**

**"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. **

"It usually is." Remus said.

"With these five though, they always seem to know something they shouldn't thought it is more Miss Potter, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy." McGonagall said. The quartet looked sheepish while the guardians present shook their heads.

**"Why?"**

**Aphrodite swallowed — now what?** **"It's sort of secret," she said, but she wished at once she hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.**

**"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."**

**"He's gone?" said Aphrodite frantically her hair turning a dark blue in her panic. "Now?"**

**"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter; he has many demands on his time –"**

**"But this is important."**

**"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?" **

"Yeah, I would say it is. It could have caused the Dark Lord rising three years earlier than he did." Aphrodite said.

"Lies!" Percy snarled.

"Shut up, Percy." The Weasley siblings (except Ginny), Hermione, Aphrodite, Oliver, Draco and Neville said.

**"Look," said Aphrodite, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor — it's about the Philosopher's Stone —" **

"I would have loved to have seen her face." Sirius laughed.

**Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.** **"How do you know —?" She spluttered.**

**"Professor, I think — I know — that Sn— that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore." **

"If you would have told me you three wouldn't have had to go down there." McGonagall said.

"Nobody usually believes me, that's how it is at the Dursley's. I'm blamed for everything." Aphrodite said. The teachers in the room looked down; they should have seen the signs.

**She eyed her with a mixture of shock and suspicion.** **"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected." **

The trio smirked which was caught by everyone in the room.

"Three first years got past the protection placed by fully trained witches and wizards?" Sirius asked with a look mixed of amusement and concern for his daughter.

**"But Professor —"**

**"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."**

**But they didn't.**

**"It's tonight," said Aphrodite, once she was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up." **

"Was it, sir?" Aphrodite asked.

"Yes it was," Dumbledore said with a slight chuckle.

**"But what can we —" ****Hermione gasped. Aphrodite and Ron wheeled round.**

**Snape was standing there.** **"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.**

**They stared at him.**

**"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.**

**"We were —" Aphrodite began, without any idea what she was going to say.**

**"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"**

"Greasy dungeon bat," Fred murmured.

**Aphrodite flushed but her hair turned bright red.**

"You need to control that ability a bit better Potter," Snape sneered. Aphrodite in turn glared at him making her hair go to bright red as it said in the book.

"I'd like to see you try, _sir. _It's not as easy as it looks. It takes all my control when I'm at the Dursley's to not let it do that with the fear of being beaten." Aphrodite said. Snape looked taken back for a few seconds before he put his unemotional mask back on and sneered at her.

**They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.**

**"Be warned, Potter — any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."** **He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.**

**Out on the stone steps, Aphrodite turned to the others.** **"Right, here's what we've got to do," she whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape — wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."**

**"Why me?" **

"Isn't that obvious, Mione?" Fred asked.

"You can pretend that you are worried about some question that you might have gotten wrong in Herbology or Charms." George said. Aphrodite and Ron were now laughing.

**"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried; I think I got question fourteen b wrong… '" **

The twins and Sirius were now laughing along with Aphrodite and Ron.

**"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.**

**"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Aphrodite told Ron. "Come on."**

**But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.**

**"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"**

"That is low Di and Ron was worried and you won't even listen to them no wonder she ended up in a bloody coma for three days at the end of the year." Oliver shouted while clutching Aphrodite as if she was his life line.

"WHAT?" shouted Aphrodite's family.

"Ron just read please. Everyone will find out at the end of the next chapter." Aphrodite sighed.

"Sorry Baby, I just can't stand how everyone treats you." Oliver whispered in her ear.

"Its fine they were going to find out next chapter anyway." Aphrodite said kissing Oliver on the lips.

**Aphrodite and Ron went back to the common room, Aphrodite had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.**

**"I'm sorry, Aph!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away; I don't know where Snape went."**

**"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Aphrodite said.** **The other two stared at her. She was pale and her eyes were glittering.**

"We know that look all too well." Hermione said. Aphrodite looked sheepish but the others looked curious.

"It's her, 'I've got a crazy plan look'." Ron said. Aphrodite blushed while the others shook their heads.

**"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first." **

"You get that from your father." Lily said.

**"You're mad!" said Ron.**

**"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"**

**"SO WHAT" Aphrodite shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursley's and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side!**

Sirius and Remus looked proud at their little girl; she's always been their little girl in their eyes. The others around the room looked shocked.

**I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"** **She glared at them.**

**"You're right Aph," said Hermione in a small voice.**

**"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Aph. "It's just lucky I got it back."**

**"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.**

"Did you really expect us to let you go by yourself?" Ron asked interrupting himself. Aphrodite turned red and hid her face.

"Your insane," Hermione and Ron mumbled.

"No, she's just her father's daughter." Remus said.

**"All — all three of us?"**

**"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"**

**"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"**

**"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."**

"You were worried, how sweet." Hermione said.

"It was dangerous." Aphrodite pointed out. This caused a lot of the adults to fret with worry over the Trio.

**"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. **

"I didn't even get that much." Lily and Remus said. This caused everyone to chuckle slightly.

"Aph got even higher than me. She got one hundred and fourteen percent and that was just on her Charms exam." Hermione said making Aphrodite blush as everyone stared at her in shock.

"R-Ron please just read." Aphrodite said as she buried her head back in Oliver's chest.

**They're not throwing me out after that."**

**After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Aphrodite any more, after all. This was the first night she hadn't been upset by it. ****Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. **

"That's not a bad idea but first year spells wouldn't be used." Remus said.

"Don't we know it." The trio said.

**Aphrodite and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.** **Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.** **"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Aphrodite ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. She pulled out the cloak and then her eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given her for Christmas. She pocketed it to use on Fluffy — she didn't feel much like singing. **

"Aww, you're a good singer though." Hermione said with a grin.

"Aph, I don't think it's my confidence we need to work on its yours." Neville said as Aphrodite bushed yet gain.

**She ran back down to the common room.** **"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us – if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own —"**

**"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.**

"You try and stop them aren't you?" Alice asked.

"Well yeah Aph is my little sister and I didn't want her to get hurt but...It didn't go to well," Neville said.

"We've apologized!" the trio said before anyone could scold them.

**"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Aphrodite, hurriedly putting the cloak behind her back.**

**Neville stared at their guilty faces.** **"You're going out again," he said.**

**"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"**

**Aphrodite looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.**

**"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."**

**"You don't understand," said Aphrodite, "this is important."**

**But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.**

"Now I know why you were desperate and I am sorry." Neville said.

"It's fine it doesn't matter anymore big bro." Aphrodite said making everyone smile at her.

**"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll — I'll fight you!"**

**"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot —"**

**"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"**

"I didn't exactly mean us," Ron said Neville nodded and blushed again.

**"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."**

**He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.** **"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!" **

**Ron turned to Hermione and Aphrodite.**

**"Do something," he said desperately.**

**Aphrodite stepped forward.** **"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."** **She raised her wand.** **"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.**

"You cursed him?!" Sirius and Remus said. Aphrodite nodded and the Marauders looked at her in shock.

"Remind me to never get on her bad side." Sirius whispered to Remus.

Aphrodite went to apologise but Neville shook his head mouthing it was fine. Aphrodite nodded and snuggled into Oliver's chest.

**Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.**

**Aphrodite ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.**

**"What've you done to him?" Ron whispered.**

**"It's the full Body-Bind," said Aphrodite miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."**

**"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Hermione.**

**"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.**

**But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.**

**"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Aphrodite's ear,**

"Do it!" the twins shouted.

"We didn't, but Aph did do something better." Ron said.

**But Aphrodite shook her head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.**

**They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.**

**"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"**

"How in the world did you not get caught?" James asked.

"You'll see," the trio said smirking.

**He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them."Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."**

**Aphrodite had a sudden idea.**

"Those are usually the best." Remus and Frank said.

**"Peeves," she said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." **

"There is absolutely no way that Peeves fell for that." Charlie said.

"5 galleons say he does," Sirius said.

"You're on," Charlie said. Bill shook his head but told Ron to continue on to reveal who wins the bet.

**Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.** **"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily.**

"You tricked Peeves, I don't believe it." Charlie said.

"My galleons please," Sirius said. Charlie handed over the galleons grudgingly. James beamed in pride at his daughter for tricking Peeves not even he could do that.

**"My mistake, my mistake — I didn't see you — of course I didn't, you're invisible — forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."**

**"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Aphrodite. "Stay away from this place tonight."**

**"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."And he scooted off. **

"You are truly a Marauder's daughter." Sirius said with a smile.

"Well, I am the daughter of three of the Marauder's." Aphrodite said with a smile making said three fathers beam at her in pride.

"We are so getting you to come pranking with us." Fred said.

"It is our new mission." George said.

**"Brilliant, Aph!" whispered Ron.**

**A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor — and the door was already ajar.**

**"Well, there you are," Aphrodite said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."**

**Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Aphrodite turned to the other two. ****"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," she said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now." **

"Did you really think that they would turn back and leave you to do this all by yourself?" Lily asked.

"Well, yeah. I didn't have friends before and it was weird that they would want to put themselves in danger just for me." Aphrodite said while blushing brightly.

**"Don't be stupid," said Ron.**

**"We're coming," said Hermione.**

**Aphrodite pushed the door open.** **As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.** **"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.**

**"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."**

**"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Aphrodite. "Well, here goes…"**

**She put Hagrid's flute to her lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Aphrodite hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.**

The people shook their heads, this big vicious three headed dog feel asleep to music.

**"Keep playing," Ron warned Aphrodite as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"**

**"No, I don't!"**

**"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.**

**"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.**

**"Nothing — just black — there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."**

**Aphrodite, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at herself.**

Aphrodite's parents' and Oliver groaned. "Why do you always have to put yourself in danger?" Remus asked closing his eyes the wolf was raging, trying to get out and destroy what was causing Aph harm and wanting to protect her.

**"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."**

**Aphrodite handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.**

**Aphrodite climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.** **She lowered herself through the hole until she was hanging on by her fingertips. **

Lily was gripping James' arm in a vice like grip.

**Then she looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?" **

"You should have done that in the first place." McGonagall said.

**"Right," said Ron.**

**"See you in a minute, I hope…"**

**And Aphrodite let go. Cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, down, down and —** **FLUMP. **

"Flump?" Sirius asked.

"Yep, flump," Aphrodite said.

"It must be some sort of plant." Remus said. He was wondering what kind of plant it was now.

**With a funny, muffled sort of thump she landed on something soft. She sat up and felt around, her eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though she was sitting on some sort of plant. **

"It's probably a deadly plant." Lily said.

"It is. Its Professor Sprout's protection." McGonagall said. As McGonagall said that Alice's and Neville's eyes widened in horror and started praying to Merlin that it wasn't the plant they thought it was.

**"It's okay!" she called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"**

**Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Aphrodite.**

**"What's this stuff?" were his first words. **

**"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"**

**The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Aphrodite's other side.**

**"We must be miles under the school," she said.**

**"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.**

**"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"**

Alice and Neville realised that it was the plant they hoped it wasn't and shouted at the exactly the same time. "GET OUT OF THERE!" Making everyone jump and then look at the trio in fear in what could have caused this reaction from Alice and Neville.

**She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Aphrodite and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing. **

Sirius got up and grabbed Aphrodite off of Oliver's lap and made her sit on his lap. Aphrodite sighed and just sat and bared it.

**Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as Aphrodite and Ron fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them. **

Remus grabbed Aphrodite's hand and squeezed while Lily grabbed her other one. Aphrodite shook her but sat there and let them be protective.

**"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"**

**"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.**

Mrs. Weasley jumped up to grab her youngest son but George got him first.

"George, let me go," Ron said. George shook his head and held on tighter but not too tight ad sat him in-between him and Fred. Ron shook his head at his brother, he then noticed that Bill and wrapped his arms around Hermione and her face was almost as red as his hair, smirking he carried on reading.

**"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.**

**"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Aphrodite gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around her chest. **

Lily whimpered and clutched onto James again while squeezing Aphrodite's other hand as if she assuring herself that Aphrodite was still alive. James was sitting there pale and hoping that his baby girl got out of this unharmed while staring at his daughter in his best friends' lap intensely as if she would disappear any second if he stopped looking at her.

**"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say? — It likes the dark and the damp."**

"So light a fire!" Cried Neville and Alice looking at their sister/Goddaughter in fear.

**"So light a fire!" Aphrodite choked.**

**"Yes — of course — but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.**

"Hermione, are you feeling all right?" Ginny asked snidely making Bill glare at her.

"I was still getting used to the fact that I didn't have to do everything the Muggle way." Hermione said.

"It does take a while." Lily said with a slight smile as Aphrodite nodded in agreement.

**"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"**

**"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two friends felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.**

**"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Aphrodite as she joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off her face.**

**"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Aphrodite doesn't lose her head in a crisis — 'there's no wood,' honestly."**

"Don't say anything," Hermione glared at the twins her face still bright red as she was still in Bill's arms. They nodded and Ron continued reading.

**"This way," said Aphrodite, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. ****All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and Aphrodite was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, she remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon — Norbert had been bad enough… **

"There wasn't a dragon was there?" Remus asked.

"No, it was something much easier to deal with." Aphrodite said with a smile.

**"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.**

**Aphrodite listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.**

**"Do you think it's a ghost?"**

**"I don't know… sounds like wings to me."**

**"There's light ahead — I can see something moving."**

**They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.**

**"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.**

**"Probably," said Aphrodite. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once… well, there's no other choice… I'll run." **

"No, I don't think that would work very well." Ted said.

"We know," the trio said.

**She took a deep breath, covered her face with her arms, and sprinted across the room. She expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at her any second, but nothing happened. She reached the door untouched. She pulled the handle, but it was locked.**

**The other two followed her. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.**

"That won't work," McGonagall said.

"We know that now, but people tend to other look the obvious. As they say there's nothing better than to hide it in plain sight." Aphrodite said with a shrug making all the Aurors in the room look at her impressed.

**"Now what?" said Ron.**

**"These birds… they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.**

**They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering —glittering?**

**"They're not birds!" Aphrodite said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys — look carefully. So that must mean…" she looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "… Yes — look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"**

**"But there are hundreds of them!"**

**Ron examined the lock on the door.** **"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one — probably silver, like the handle."**

"You guys have good teamwork for three eleven year olds." Charlie said. Ron had escaped from Fred and Georges' laps and sat back in the chair next to their loveseat.

"I wouldn't imagine any other eleven year olds doing that." Sirius said with a smile. He still held Aph in his lap and was not letting her go for a while.

**They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.**

**Not for nothing, though, was Aphrodite the youngest Seeker in a century. She had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, she noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.**

**"That one!" she called to the others. "That big one — there — no, there — with bright blue wings — the feathers are all crumpled on one side."**

**Ron went speeding in the direction that Aphrodite was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.**

**"We've got to close in on it!" Aphrodite called, not taking her eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above — Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!" **

"I hope you make team captain in your sixth year." Sirius said with a smile.

"We shall see won't we, Siri." Aphrodite said with a grin.

**Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Aphrodite streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Aphrodite leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.**

**They landed quickly, and Aphrodite ran to the door, the key struggling in her hand. She rammed it into the lock and turned – it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice. **

"That means that whoever is after it is already there." James said.

"Is it too much to ask that you go back?" Lily asked. They looked at her and she sighed.

**"Ready?" Aphrodite asked the other two, her hand on the door handle. They nodded. She pulled the door open. ****The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. ****They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard,**

"That has to be McGonagall's protection," Remus said.

"It's a good thing that Ron is with you." Bill said.

"Nobody has been able to beat him since he was seven and the only one to give him a challenge is dad." Charlie said.

**Behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Aphrodite, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly – the towering white chessmen had no faces. **

"That is just a little bit creepy." Padfoot said.

**"Now what do we do?" Aphrodite whispered.**

**"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."**

**Behind the white pieces they could see another door.**

**"How?" said Hermione nervously.**

**"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."**

**He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron. ****"Do we — er — have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two. ****"This needs thinking about…" he said, "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces…"** **Aphrodite and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess —"**

**"We're not offended," said Aphrodite quickly. "Just tell us what to do."**

**"Well, Aph, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle."**

**"What about you?"**

**"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.** **The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione took. **

Mrs. Weasley now jumped up and went over to Ron and held him tight. "Mum get off if you hold me I can't read the chapter." Ron said annoyed at his mother for what she has done to Aph. Arthur got up and took his wife off of their son he was getting annoyed with how she was acting lately and made her sit back down next to him and Ginny.

James got up and sat in front of Sirius' legs sideways so he could still see his daughter whereas Lily held their daughter's hand tighter with both hands as they made sure their daughter was still here.

**"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes… look…"** **A white pawn had moved forward two squares.** **Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Aphrodite's knees were trembling. What if they lost?**

"You are such a pessimist." Ron said shaking his head with a fond smile but still upset about the babying.

**"Aph — move diagonally four squares to the right."**

**Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.** **"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."**

**Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Aphrodite and Hermione were in danger. **

Now Lily grabbed Aphrodite's arm so James could hold the hand on that arm.

**He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.** **"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think — let me think…"** **The white queen turned her blank face toward him.** **"Yes…" said Ron softly, "It's the only way… I've got to be taken.**

"NO!" The Weasley's yelled even Percy.

"I'm fine, I made it out alright." Ron said.

**"NO!" Aphrodite and Hermione shouted.**

**"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me — that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Aphrodite!" **

**"But —"**

**"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that stone or not? Its you that has to go on Aph. Not me, not Hermione. You!" There was no alternative. So reluctantly Aphrodite nodded and Ron smiled at them reassuringly.**

"How bad was it?" Charlie asked in a monotone voice.

"Not as bad as Aph." Ron said. That caused the four people holding onto his friend to grip her tighter.

"Thanks Ron, some friend you are." Aphrodite mumbled.

**"Ready?" Ron called his face pale but determined. "Here I go — now, don't hang around once you've won otherwise the game will reset itself."**

**He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor —** **Hermione screamed but stayed on her square — the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.** **Shaking, Aphrodite moved three spaces to the left.**

**The white king took off his crown and threw it at Aphrodite's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Aphrodite and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.**

"You didn't stay to make sure that he was okay?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"MUM!" Ron shouted. "I told them to leave me otherwise the game would rest itself." Ron snapped and before his mother could reprimand him he carried on reading.

**"What if he's —?"**

**"He'll be all right," said Aphrodite, trying to convince herself. "What do you reckon's next?"**

**"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."**

**They had reached another door.**

**"All right?" Aphrodite whispered.**

**"Go on."**

**Aphrodite pushed it open.** **A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head. **

"Thank Merlin, one troll was enough." Lily said.

**"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Aphrodite whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."**

**She pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.**

**"Snape's," said Aphrodite. "What do we have to do?"**

**They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.**

**"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Aphrodite looked over her shoulder to read it:**

_**Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,**_

_**Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,**_

_**One among us seven will let you move ahead,**_

_**Another will transport the drinker back instead,**_

_**Two among our number hold only nettle wine,**_

_**Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.**_

_**Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,**_

_**To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:**_

_**First, however slyly the poison tries to hide**_

_**You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;**_

_**Second, different are those who stand at either end,**_

_**But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;**_

_**Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,**_

_**Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;**_

_**Fourth, the second left and the second on the right**_

_**Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.**_

"Great a riddle, I hate riddles." Tonks said.

"I would be stuck, that's for sure." Sirius said.

"I would need the bottles in front of me," Lily, Remus, Percy and Bill said.

**Hermione let out a great sigh and Aphrodite, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing she felt like doing.**

**"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic — it's logic — a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever."**

**"But so will we, won't we?"**

**"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple." **

"How fast did Granger work it out?" Snape asked.

"About five minutes or so," Aphrodite said.

**"But how do we know which to drink?"**

**"Give me a minute." ****Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands. ****"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone."**

**Aphrodite looked at the tiny bottle.** **"There's only enough there for one of us," she said. "That's hardly one swallow."**

"You're going alone?" Lily asked. Aphrodite nodded and the four people tightened their grips on the girl in Sirius' lap. While Oliver looked over at the woman he loved in fear as he knew what was coming up.

**They looked at each other.** **"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"**

**Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line."You drink that," said Aphrodite. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really." **

"You might be able to now; you did escape a duel alive with Voldemort." Fred said.

"But at eleven, all I would be able to do is dodge until I get hit with some random spell." Aphrodite said with a shrug.

**"But Aph — what if You-Know-Who's with him?"**

**"Well — I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Aphrodite, pointing at her scar. "I might get lucky again."**

"You're relying on luck?" Remus asked.

"It works a lot of the time." Aphrodite said.

**Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Aphrodite and threw her arms around her.**

**"Hermione!"**

**"Aph — you're a great witch, you know."**

**"I'm not as good as you," said Aphrodite, very embarrassed, as she let go of her.**

**"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and — oh Aph —just be careful! " **

"You are great friends," Lily said with a smile.

"Hey, a girl has got to have her girlfriends; besides, I can't talk to Ron about boys unless he has something he wants to say to everyone." Aphrodite said with a smile. Ron sputtered and glared at Aphrodite.

"I am straight Aph!" Ron said his face red.

"I know I just like teasing you." Aphrodite said making everyone laugh. Once everyone had calmed down Ron started reading again.

**"You drink first," said Aphrodite. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"**

**"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.**

**"It's not poison?" said Aphrodite anxiously.**

**"No — but it's like ice."**

**"Quick, go, before it wears off."**

**"Good luck — take care."**

**"GO!"**

**Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.**

**Aphrodite took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. She turned to face the black flames.** **"Here I come," she said, and she drained the little bottle in one gulp.**

**It was indeed as though ice was flooding her body. She put the bottle down and walked forward; she braced herself, saw the black flames licking her body, but couldn't feel them — for a moment she could see nothing but dark fire — then she was on the other side, in the last chamber.**

**There was already someone there — but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.**

"Who is it?" Shouted everyone who didn't know while Oliver was looking at Aphrodite concerned.

"That's the end of the chapter." Ron said passing the book to Fred.

Fred opened the book to the last chapter and read, **"Chapter Seventeen, The Man With The Two Faces." **


	19. Chapter Nineteen: The Man With Two Faces

Chapter Nineteen:

"**Chapter Eighteen, The Man With Two Faces," **read Fred making a face at the chapter title.

"What does that mean?" Fred asked.

"You'll see," Aphrodite mumbled.

**It was Quirrell.**

"Quirrell? The scaredy- cat Dark Arts Teacher?" George asked with wide eyes.

"Yep, the right faker he is." Aphrodite said.

"Damn, he's a good actor then." Sirius said.

"No kidding, he had everyone fooled." Hermione said.

**"You!" gasped Aphrodite.**

**Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.** **"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."**

**"But I thought — Snape —"**

**"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat.**

Some people chuckled a little bit.

**Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?" **

"I can't believe the stutter was a fake." George said.

"It was so annoying." Ron said.

**Aphrodite couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.** **"But Snape tried to kill me!"**

**"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger**

"He does know that it was me," Hermione said.

"Don't worry; Voldemort probably doesn't remember that it was you." Aphrodite said. Hermione gave her a smile and Fred continued reading.

**Accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you." **

"Thank you," Lily said smiling at her once best friend.

**"Snape was trying to save me?"**

**"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching.** **All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight." **

"No, you will not touch her." Sirius growled.

"It's okay Siri, I made it out alive." Aphrodite said hugging Sirius, well putting her head on his shoulder since her arms were being held by a worried Remus and her frantic parents.

**Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Aphrodite. **

Aphrodite's arms were being held so tight that she whimpered in pain so they loosened up their grip some.

**"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."**

**"You let the troll in?"**

**"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? **

Everyone shuddered.

**Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. **

"Poor you, everything isn't going your way." Tonks said looking worriedly at the girl in her cousin's lap.

**"Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."**

**It was only then that Aphrodite realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised. **

"What's it doing down there?" Ron asked.

"It's Dumbledore's protection." Hermione said.

**"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"**

**All Aphrodite could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror. **

"Good, keep him talking." Moody growled.

**"I saw you and Snape in the forest —" she blurted out.**

**"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"** **Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.** **"I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"**

**Aphrodite struggled against the ropes binding her, but they didn't give. She had to keep Quirrell from giving her whole attention to the mirror.**

**"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."**

**"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead." **

"At least there's that." Aphrodite muttered.

**"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing — I thought Snape was threatening you…"**

**For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.** **"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —" **

"You are weak but Voldemort isn't a great wizard, he's just a murderer." Aphrodite muttered.

"It'll be okay, we'll change everything." Lily muttered. Aphrodite nodded slightly and cuddled up to her adoptive-father.

**"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Aphrodite gasped.**

"He was at Hogwarts!" The adults yelled. All the rest of the room paled, they were so close to him that year. Oliver even though Aphrodite had told him he was there he still paled drastically at how close he had come to losing his Aph.

**"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly.**

Remus paled, "It's not possible," Remus whispered.

"What's not possible?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing, let's just hope I'm wrong." Remus said.

**"I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… **

**Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…" **

"He was the one who broke into Gringotts." Bill muttered. Aphrodite nodded and Percy paled.

**Quirrell's voice trailed away. Aphrodite was remembering her trip to Diagon Alley — how could she have been so stupid? She'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron. **

"Don't be too hard on yourself, not everyone can get it right all the time." Remus said. Aphrodite gave her other adoptive-father a small smile and Fred continued reading, but not before looking worriedly at his little sister.

**Quirrell cursed under his breath. **

"You shouldn't be cursing." Mrs. Weasley said. Everyone glared at her to shut up they wanted to find out what happened to Aphrodite to make go into a coma for three days.

**"I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"**

**Aphrodite's mind was racing.** **_What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?_**

"You'd make a brilliant Auror." Moody growled. Aphrodite looked over at the scared Auror.

"You've told me once before, but it wasn't really you, everyone just thought that it was." Aphrodite said. Moody gave her a small smile before letting it go from his face.

"Don't fret over it, nobody could have known that it wasn't Moody, the only mistake he made was at the end." McGonagall said.

**She tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around her ankles were too tight: she tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored her. He was still talking to himself.** **"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"**

**And to Aphrodite's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.**

**"Use the girl… Use the girl…"**

"Don't use her!" Sirius, Remus, Lily, James and Oliver said.

**Quirrell rounded on Aphrodite.** **"Yes — Potter — come here."**

**He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Aphrodite fell off. Aphrodite got slowly to her feet.** **"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."**

**Aphrodite walked toward him.** **_I must lie, she thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all._**

"You can't lie to the Dark Lord if he is there." Snape said.

"I didn't know that then, but I do now." Aphrodite said.

**Quirrell moved close behind her. Aphrodite breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban.**

**She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.** **She saw her reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. **

"Who wouldn't be?" Ron asked.

**But a moment later, the reflection smiled at her. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, Aphrodite felt something heavy drop into her real pocket. Somehow — incredibly —she'd gotten the Stone. **

"How did that happen?" everyone asked.

"It'll explain towards the end." Aphrodite said.

**"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"**

**Aphrodite screwed up her courage. "I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," she invented. "I — I've won the house cup for Gryffindor." **

"Almost believable." Sirius said.

"Sorry, I suck at lying." Aphrodite said.

**Quirrell cursed again."Get out of the way," he said. As Aphrodite moved aside, she felt the Philosopher's Stone against her leg. Dare she make a break for it?**

"That'll be a bit obvious." Remus said.

"I figured that out." Aphrodite said with a small grin.

**But she hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.** **"She lies… She lies…"**

**"****Shit!" Ron exclaimed and ignored his mother's screech of 'language'.**

**"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"**

**The high voice spoke again."Let me speak to her... Face-to-face..."**

**"Master, you are not strong enough!"**

**"I have strength enough... For this..."**

**Aphrodite felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. She couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, she watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. ****Aphrodite would have screamed, but she couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Aphrodite had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.**

"Oh my god," muttered most everyone in the room. All of them pale, even Percy was wide eyed.

"He's not dead?" Percy asked.

"He never was he was just lying low for the right time to come out of hiding." Aphrodite said.

**"Aphrodite Potter..." it whispered.**

"So you're telling me that at Christmas," Fred said.

"When we enchanted those snowballs," George said.

"That they were bouncing off of Voldemort's face?" they asked together. Aphrodite nodded and the twins looked at each other with amusement apparent in their blue eyes.

"I can't believe that they did that." Mrs. Weasley said.

"It's the twins mum, what can you expect?" Bill asked.

**Aphrodite tried to take a step backwards, but her legs couldn't move from her terror.**

**"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapour... I have form only when I can share another's body... But there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... You saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... And once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... Why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"**

**So he knew. Feeling suddenly surged back into Aphrodite's legs. She stumbled backwards a few steps.**

**"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better to save your own life and join me, as my Dark Lady... To stand by my side and have the life of a queen... Or you may just end the same way as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."~**

"I would of begged for him to have mercy on my infant daughter, not for him to have mercy on myself!" Lily spat. James glared at the book. So Voldemort wanted Aphrodite as his Dark Lady now that she had survived his Killing Curse, had he?

**~"LIAR!" Aphrodite shouted suddenly, feeling hatred towards the man insulting her parents.**

**Quirrell was now walking backwards at her, so that Voldemort could still see her. The evil face was now smiling."How touching..." It hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, girl, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... But your mother needn't have died... She was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, and have the painless life of luxury that she would have wanted for you... Unless, of course, you want her to have died in vain."**

**"NEVER!"**

James squeezed Aphrodite's hand lightly, silently letting her know that he was proud of her.

**Aphrodite sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HER!" and the next second, Aphrodite felt Quirrell's hand close on her wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Aphrodite's scar; her head felt as though it was about to split in two; she yelled, struggling with all her might, and to her immense surprise, Quirrell let go of her.**

**Everyone looked at the book confused, though they were glad that he had let go of Aphrodite.**

**The pain in her head lessened - she looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering and slowly turning raw before her very eyes.** **"Seize her! SEIZE HER!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Dorea clean off her feet landing on top of her, both hands around Aphrodite's neck –**

**Aphrodite could **hear some growling coming from Sirius and Remus. So Aphrodite slightly squeezed Remus' hand and snuggled closer to Sirius to let them know that she is fine.

**Aphrodite's scar was almost blinding her with pain, yet she could see Quirrell howling in agony.** **"Master, I cannot hold her - my hands - my **_**hands**_**!"**

**And Quirrell, though pinning Aphrodite to the ground with his knees, let go of her neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - Aphrodite could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny. All of the skin had been burned off, she recognized, but by what?**

**"Then capture her, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.**

"He doesn't want you dead..." Oliver said in horror. Aphrodite slowly shook his head.

"He wants me to be his wife, being dead would put a dent in those plans." She whispered back to him, breathing in Sirius' scent.

**~Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Aphrodite, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face -"AAAARGH!"**

**Quirrell rolled off her, his face blistering, too, and then Aphrodite knew: Quirrell couldn't touch her bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain - her only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.**

Those who had fought in the first war nodded gravely. That was all Aphrodite could do at that moment. She wasn't trained enough to duel him yet.

**Aphrodite jumped to her feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as she could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Dorea off - the pain in Aphrodite's head was building - she couldn't see - she could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "CAPTURE HER! CAPTURE HER!" and other voices, maybe in Aphrodite's own head, crying, "Aphrodite! Aphrodite!" ****She felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from her grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down... Down... Down...Something gold was glinting just above her. **

"How long were you out?" Sirius asked.

"Three days." Aphrodite said as if it was nothing.

"Three days of waiting for you to wake up, you were all pale and looked dead." Oliver said in a shaky voice a stray tear running down his face. This caused everyone to stare wide eyed at Aphrodite.

Aphrodite crawled out of her parents grasp and into Oliver's and gave him a hug and kissed him deeply on the lips. When she pulled back she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere I promise." She wiped away the tears running down Oliver's face and Oliver kissed her back and pulled her tight to his chest.

**Something gold was glinting just above her. The Snitch! **

Lily sighed while James and Sirius laughed

**She tried to catch it, but her arms were too heavy. She blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.** **She blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above her. **

"You thought that Dumbledore was a snitch?" Ron asked.

"All I could see was gold and it was the first thing I came up with." Aphrodite said.

**"Good afternoon, Aphrodite," said Dumbledore.**

**Aphrodite stared at him. Then she remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick —"**

**"Calm yourself, dear girl, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore **

**"Quirrell does not have the Stone."**

**"Then who does? Sir, I —"**

**"Aphrodite, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."**

"That would be funny to see," James said.

**Aphrodite swallowed and looked around her. She realized she must be in the hospital wing. She was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the sweet shop. **

"It was almost the whole shop," Fred said.

**"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. **

"So that's were that went to." Ginny said with a pout.

"You actually blew up a toilet?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Of course they did Molly, you don't give pranksters ideas." Remus said.

**No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it." **

"Ah," the twins whined.

**"How long have I been in here?"**

**"Three days. Mr. Oliver Wood, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried and Mr. Wood didn't want to leave your side not even for the Quidditch match." **

"Why did say my name but not Hermione's?" Ron asked.

"Think about it for a second Ron, how many Weasley's were at Hogwarts in our first year?" Aphrodite asked. Realization dawned on Ron's face which caused everyone to laugh.

**"But sir, the Stone —"**

**"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."**

**"You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"**

**"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you." **

"Thank you," said a lot of the adults.

**"It was you."**

**"I feared I might be too late."**

**"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer –"**

"I think he meant you." Sirius said.

"I got that," Aphrodite mumbled her face red.

**"Not the Stone, girl, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."**

**"Destroyed?" said Aphrodite blankly. "But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —"**

**"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. **

**"You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."**

**"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"**

**"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Aphrodite's face.** **"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. **

"That is one way to describe it." Lily said.

"Yep," the trio said.

**After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." **

"That is true," Remus said.

**Aphrodite lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.** **"Sir?" said Aphrodite. "I've been thinking… sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —"**

**"Call him Voldemort, Aphrodite. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."**

"So that's where you got it from." Ron said.

"What, you think I made it up myself? I'm not that creative." Aphrodite said.

"That's a load of rubbish Aph, your really good singer, you can play the guitar and you're a really good drawer and you're really good at D.A.D.A, Transfiguration, Charms and C.O.M.C. You just need more confidence in yourself." Hermione said.

"You can play the guitar?" Lily asked.

Aphrodite nodded. "I started to learn in third year." Her parents and aunts and uncles smiled proudly at her.

**"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"**

**"No, Aphrodite, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. **

"Too bad father wouldn't believe that." Draco said, he spat 'father' out as if it was poison.

**Nevertheless, Aphrodite, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power." **

**Aphrodite nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made her head hurt. Then she said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…" **

**"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie." **

"Will you tell me now, sir?" Aphrodite asked Dumbledore.

"Perhaps, or maybe it'll come up sometime during the fifth book." Dumbledore said without looking at her which the people who cared about her noticed and frowned at Dumbledore.

**"Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"**

**Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.** **"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Aphrodite. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."**

**And Aphrodite knew it would be no good to argue.** **"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" **

"And that is the million galleon question." Sirius said.

**"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.**

**It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."**

**Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Aphrodite time to dry her eyes on the sheet. **

Aphrodite buried her face in Oliver's shoulder as Oliver held her to them. Fred continued reading.

**When she had found her voice again, Aphrodite said, "And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to me?"**

**"Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here." **

"Now that isn't exactly true, but we did use it for that." James said.

"The only reason we went down into the kitchens was because Sirius has a black hole for a stomach." Remus said smiling at his husband before kissing him on the cheek.

**"And there's something else…"**

**"Fire away."**

**"Quirrell said Snape —"**

**"Professor Snape, Aphrodite."**

**"Yes, him — Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"**

**"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."**

**"What?"**

**"He saved his life."**

Recognition showed in James' face and Sirius both looked guilty. Remus' looked kind of mad while Snape looked pale. The others looked confused but left it at that for now.

**"What?"**

**"Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…" **

"Interesting way to put it." James said.

**Aphrodite tried to understand this but it made her head pound, so she stopped. ****"And sir, there's one more thing…"**

**"Just the one?"**

Everyone chuckled, which made Aphrodite turn red again.

**"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"**

**"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes… Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, **

"You've had worse luck than I have." George said.

**And since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" **

"Nope, go for either the red or the blue." Aphrodite said.

"I will go for those next time Miss Potter." Dumbledore said.

**He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"**

**Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.**

**"Just five minutes," Aphrodite pleaded.**

**"Absolutely not."**

**"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"**

**"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."**

**"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. **

"That is something I had said at one time." James said with a smile. Aphrodite smiled over at her father.

**Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"**

**"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."**

**And she let Ron and Hermione in.**

**"Aph!"**

**Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around her again, but Aphrodite was glad she held herself in as her head was still very sore. **

"Thanks for that, but you know I'm not fragile right?" Aphrodite asked.

"We know, you just really looked like it still." Hermione said. Aphrodite stared at her than gave her a small smile.

**"Oh, Aphrodite, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —" **

**"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"**

**It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumours. **

"They usually are," the trio said.

**Aphrodite told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Aphrodite told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.**

"Not everything you didn't tell us he wanted you as his queen." Hermione said, seeing the look on Aphrodite's face she continued. "Aph it doesn't change anything he is just a sick bastard and don't you dare think we will abandon you because of that because we won't." Hermione said sternly with everyone who cared about her nodding their agreement.

**"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"**

**"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"**

**"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was. **

"Most people are," Sirius said.

**"So what happened to you two?" said Aphrodite.**

**"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, Aphrodite's gone after him, hasn't she?' and hurtled off to the third floor."**

**"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"**

"You better not have," growled Sirius, Remus, Lily, James and Oliver.

**"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."**

**"No, it isn't," said Aphrodite thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"**

"That better not be true Albus." James and Lily snarled, while Sirius and Remus glared at him.

**"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."**

**At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.** **"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.**

**After a good night's sleep, Aphrodite felt nearly back to normal.** **"I want to go to the feast," she told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened her many sweet boxes. "I can, can't I?"**

**"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. ****And you have another visitor."**

**"Oh, good," said Aphrodite. "Who is it?"**

**Hagrid sidled through the door as she spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Aphrodite, took one look at her, and burst into tears. **

"Oh Hagrid," Lily said fondly.

"He's a great friend." Aphrodite said with a big smile.

**"It's — all — my — ruddy — fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! **

"Like that will happen," George said.

**I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"**

"Not all Muggles are bad, just your relatives are." Bill said.

**"Hagrid!" said Aphrodite, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."**

**"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"**

**"VOLDEMORT!" Aphrodite bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying.**

"Well that is one way to stop him crying." James said with a chuckle.

**"I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…" **

"Chocolate helps a lot of things," Remus said. Making everyone laugh.

**Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."**

**"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Aphrodite anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.**

**"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…"**

**It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Aphrodite opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at her from every page were her mother and father.**

"So that's why Hagrid asked for pictures." Remus said with a smile.

"They were yours?" Aphrodite asked.

"Some, I'm pretty sure that he got some from one of Lily's remaining friends." Remus said.

"Who?" Lily asked with hoped filled eyes.

"Hestia and Emmeline." Remus said.

"Good their still alive," Lily said with a sigh of relief but shared a sad smile with Alice.

"I like them they are always nice to me." Aphrodite said with a smile.

**"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"Aphrodite couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.**

**Aphrodite made her way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. She had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving her one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. ****When Aphrodite walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. She slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at her. **

"Get used to that as well." Aphrodite mumbled but smiled when Oliver pressed a kiss to her cheek.

**Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.**

**"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts… **

Everyone chuckled a bit at that.

**"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two." ****A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Aphrodite could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight. ****"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."** **The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.** **"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…" ****Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.**

Everyone laughed and Ron blushed, almost the exact shade as was described in the book.

**"… For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." ****Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!" ****At last there was silence again. ****"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."** **Hermione buried her face in her arms; Aphrodite strongly suspected she had burst into tears. **

"Not exactly, just hiding." Hermione said with a slight blush.

"Not use to the attention, I see." Sirius said.

"No." Hermione said.

**Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up. ****"Third — to Miss Aphrodite Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."**

**The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given Aphrodite just one more point.** **Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent. ****"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom." **

Neville blushed and looked away while his parents smiled proudly at him. Everyone in the room were now cheering but quieted down to let Fred continue reading.

**Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Aphrodite, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Aphrodite, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him. **

This caused a lot of people to laugh.

**"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration." ****He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Aphrodite's eye and Aphrodite knew at once that Snape's feelings toward her hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Aphrodite. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.**

"You had to jinx it didn't you?" Hermione asked.

"Sorry," Aphrodite said with a sheepish smile.

**It was the best evening of Aphrodite's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… she would never, ever forget tonight.**

"It did seem too good to be true, huh?" Oliver asked. Aphrodite nodded her head and then laid it on his shoulder.

**Aphrodite had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both she and Ron passed with good marks, (hers manly due to the isolation after Norbert) ****; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years.**

Everyone sighed and made a silent promise to get Aphrodite's confidence up.

**Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.**

**And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.**

Aphrodite sighed and buried into Oliver's chest as he tightened his arms around her; she knew what was going to come next.

**It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles. **

"Now wouldn't that be a sight," George said with a grin.

"That would be a disaster!" Moody growled. The twins shut up Fred continue reading.

**"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."**

**"Thanks," said Aphrodite, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:**

**"Bye, Aphrodite!"**

**"See you, Potter!"**

**"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at her.**

"I wish I wasn't," Aphrodite muttered so only Oliver could hear her. His response was to hug her to himself to give her comfort.

**"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Aphrodite.**

**She, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There she is, Mum, there she is, look!" **

Everyone frowned at the girl it was obvious she didn't care about Aph but only about her fame.

"You do know that Aphrodite is a human being and deserves respect and not treated as a show case." Firenze said frowning at Ginny.

**It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.**

**"Aphrodite Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mum! I can see —"**

**"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."**

**Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.**

**"Busy year?" she said.**

**"Very," said Aphrodite. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."**

"I will never know how you got any manners living with my sister, but I am thankful that you do." Lily said. Aphrodite smiled at her mum.

**"Oh, it was nothing, dear."**

**"Ready, are you?"** **It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Aphrodite, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Aphrodite.**

"Did you at least have some fun?" Fred asked.

"For the first couple of weeks, yeah." Aphrodite said.

**"You must be Aph's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.**

**"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, girl, we haven't got all day." He walked away.**

**Aphrodite hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.** **"See you over the summer, then."**

**"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant. **

"He worse than I thought, I'm sorry that you had to deal with that." Hermione said.

"It's nothing really, don't worry about it." Aphrodite said.

"I won't have to if you're living with Sirius, Remus and Oliver." Hermione said.

"And she will be." Lily said glaring over at Dumbledore.

**"Oh, I will," said Aphrodite and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over her face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"**

"I'm so proud of you Honey." James said smiling at his daughter being held by Oliver.

Aphrodite smiled at her dad. "Well as I said earlier I am the daughter of three Marauders." She said making said three beam at her.

"That's the end of the book." Fred said closing the book, once he had closed the book it disappeared in a flash of bright light. And a letter appeared Fred picked it up and read:

_Dear Everyone, _

_Congratulations on finishing the first book have some dinner and then go to bed and read the second book in the morning. And just to let you know the future is already changing for the better._

_T.K.S_

"Right I think it is time for dinner and then to bed apart from you Aph sweetie as I want to run a scan on you so come straight back in here after dinner and Oliver can come with you as well if you want." Andy said. She then turned to Bill. "Bill could you be in here in case I need you please as you are a Curse Breaker?" Andy asked.

"Of course." Bill nodded.

After that everyone got up and went into the kitchen to wait for dinner as Lily, Alice and Andy started cooking the dinner while Molly glared at them as she wasn't allowed to do the cooking.


	20. Chapter Twenty: The Night Break

**A/N: The second part of this chapter after the page break, the credit goes to Lucky Guard as they had wrote it for me as I didn't feel comfortable writing it but I have made some changes to it. But the majority of it goes to Lucky Guard. This is the last chapter to the first book. :)**

**Padfootette. **

* * *

Chapter Twenty: The Night Break.

After everyone had eaten Aphrodite's family followed Andy back into the living room while everyone else except Bill (who was there in case he was needed) went bed. Once the Kingsley had closed the door Andy turned to her niece who was clinging to Oliver's arm as if her life depended on it and was nervously looking around the room while biting her bottom lip.

"Now, Aph sweetie, all I'm going to do is see if the traitor did anything to you while you were in the boy's dorms. It is a spell that will scan your whole body including your magic, I'm also doing this to make sure there is no lasting effects caused by the Dursleys it shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes, but you will need to let go of Oliver otherwise it would scan him as well. Okay?" Andy asked, Aphrodite nodded and moved away from Oliver a little bit.

Andy smiled reassuringly at Aphrodite and pulled out her wand and said, "Facinore Ostende te." At once Aphrodite glowed White and a piece of parchment appeared out of thin air. Andy grabbed it and as she read her eyes got wider and wider.

"What, what is it?" Lily asked worried as she saw Andy's eyes widen. Andy looked up from the parchment in her hands then to the other people in the room all looking worriedly at her.

Andy cleared her throat. "Don't worry _Peter _didn't do anything to her. But someone has put a block on her magic and it has left a magical signature to who it was." Andy said.

"Oh, thank Merlin that traitor didn't do anything to my baby girl." Lily said coming up and wrapping her arms around her daughter, it was then the second half of what Andy said sunk in. "WHAT! Who the bloody hell has put a block on my daughter's magic." Lily shouted.

Everyone looked angry at that statement and James came up to his wife and daughter and pulled them into his arms.

Andy looked back down at the piece of parchment in her hands and her eyes started to burn with anger. "It was Dumbledore. The spell has revealed that the signature on the magical blocks id Dumbledore's." Andy growled.

"WHAT!" shouted everyone in the room.

"What is blocked Love?" Ted asked his voice was calm but his hands were shaking a giveaway that he was furious. Andy took a deep breath trying to control her anger and her breathing before answering Ted's question. "Nearly all of her magic. Even her Creature Inheritance" Andy said.

"What? I don't have a Creature Inheritance?" Aphrodite said confused.

Lily and James looked at each other trying to control their anger that Dumbledore would do that to their daughter. Lily turned her daughter to face her and James and put her hands on her daughter's shoulder.

"Aph sweetie you do have a Creature Inheritance because I'm a pure veela but I was adopted into the Evans' family because Dumbledore threatened them and my mother and father wanted to keep me safe even though my father is from the highest Veela group there is in France my real maiden name is Lily Belvount, my half sister is Apolline Delacour and Chantle Delacour they're my older sisters but they're half veela like you because their father is a wizard not a veela but he died a few years before mother married my father."

"Wait so you mean I'm related to Fleur?" Aphrodite asked with wide eyes this was too much to take in.

"Yes Sweetheart. Dumbledore did a powerful curse and got rid of the veela part in me but your father is my mate and Oliver is your mate as well as you Soul mate sweetie. Rose Evans who was my adoptive mother told me I was adopted and I was a magical creature and then my real mother and father got in touch with me when I was at Hogwarts, but they died not long before your first birthday. I'm so sorry sweetie Dumbledore promised us he would tell you if anything happened to us and that he wouldn't put a block on you and when I see him in the morning he will pay." Lily said hugging her daughter.

"Andy could you read out the results and then Bill could take the blocks off of my daughter." James asked and then looked to Bill to confirm that he would, once Bill nodded Andy started reading out the results from the scan.

_Full body and magical scan done on Aphrodite Dorea Lily Potter. Cast by Andromeda Tonks._

_Body:_

_Severe starvation_

_Lacerations on back and chest_

_Old broken wrist_

_Broken leg_

_Welts on back_

_Dog bite to both legs _

_Broken ribs_

_Severe headache _

_Minor bleeding from lightning bolt scar_

_Magical Core nearly drained_

_Coma _

_Severe starvation_

_Sun burn to back of the neck_

_Minor bump on the head_

_Minor Concussion_

_Broken right arm_

_Right arm de-boned (fixed with Skelegrow)_

_Same arm punctured by a foot-long Basilisk fang_

"Sorry what?" Remus shouted looking at his daughter with fear in his eyes as was everyone in the room. Oliver came over and started checking her arm.

"Oliver stop it I'm fine." Aphrodite said trying to pull her arm out of Oliver's grip.

"Baby when did that happen?" Oliver asked fear evident in his voice as well as his face.

"Second year." Aphrodite said simply. Making everyone look at her in fear. "You'll find out at the end of the next book. Aunt Andy please continue."

Andy nodded then carried on from where she left off.

_Same arm punctured by a foot-long Basilisk fang (fixed with Phoenix tears)_

_Attacked by Dementors multiple times._

_Broken ribs_

_Attacked by the Whomping Willow_

_Almost kissed by dementors_

Everyone in the room turned pale as Andy read that out and looked over at Aphrodite to make sure she was still here.

_Scar irritation_

_Starvation_

_Put under the Imperious Curse_

_Bitten by an Acromantula (healed by Phoenix tears)_

_Broken Leg_

_Lash to right forearm_

_Put under the Cruciartus Curse three times_

"WHAT!" shouted everyone in the room.

"I-it was w-when I was in the g-grave y-yard l-last y-year." Aphrodite said trying to fight back the tears. James pulled his daughter into a hug as she could no longer hold back the tears, he was struggling to hold back his own tears but he promised himself he was going to be strong for his baby girl he couldn't believe how much she had gone through she was only fifteen for Merlin's sake. He then nodded to Andy to tell her to carry on.

_Put under the Imperious Curse_

_Concussion _

_Attacked by Dementors_

_Starvation_

_Magic:_

_Multiple Animagus forms (forms Ice Phoenix, Dire Wolf and Doe): Fully blocked_

_Wandless and Wordless Magic: Fully blocked_

_Mage Sight and Sense Magic: Fully blocked_

_Creature Inheritance (Veela): Fully blocked_

_Parselmagic: Partially blocked_

_Full Soul Bond: Partially blocked_

_Natural Occulumency/Legilimency: Fully blocked_

"That's it." Andy said fuming at how much her niece had blocked.

"Why that bastard when I get my hands on him." Sirius left the threat open, but no one was in any doubt what he would do to Dumbledore because it is the same thing that they would do to him.

"Don't worry Siri we'll make sure that Dumbledore goes away for a long time after these readings." Tonks said pointing to her and Kingsley who nodded his agreement.

"Lily, James would you like me to remove Aph's blocks now?" Bill asked.

"Yes please." Lily replied.

"Aph you will need to lay down on the sofa as this will hurt quite a bit." Bill said, Aphrodite nodded and went and lay down on the sofa. Once she was lying on the sofa Bill took out his wand and muttered. "Magicales Stipitibus permanenter aufero." There was a bright flash of light and suddenly Aphrodite started screaming in agony as her magical blocks were removed.

After ten minutes the light faded and Aphrodite lay panting on the sofa. "Baby are you okay?" Oliver said as he ran over to her parents not far behind him. Aphrodite nodded and went to sit up, but her Aunt Andy stopped her. "Aph sweetie, wait for a moment I need to do the same scan to make sure it has all been fully unlocked properly." Andy said as she wiped out her wand and muttered the same spell as earlier only this time the results showed that all of her magic was unlocked and in full use apart from her Veela inheritance which she won't come into until she turns sixteen. Once all of her family had hugged her and made sure she was alright and had thanked Andy and Bill they left Aph and Oliver alone to talk.

"Di, are you sure you're okay?" Oliver asked concerned.

"I'm fine Ollie." Aphrodite assured him kissing him full on the lips; they pulled back quicker than expected as they both felt like they had just gotten an electric shock when their lips touched. "What was that?" Aphrodite said looking confused.

"I think that was the Soul Bond trying to be completed." Oliver said, but when he saw Aphrodite drop her head he carried on as if he was reading her mind and knew what the matter was.

"Hey, what's the matter I don't care if you're a half-veela and I'm your mate. I love for who you are and we were already Soul Mates, you complete me Aphrodite Dorea Lily Potter and I wouldn't love anybody else as much as I love you, I can't live without you, when your hurt I'm hurt, when your happy I'm happy and when were apart I just want to come back and have you in my arms forever you are my life, my other part of my Soul and I will always love you with all my heart and soul and I wouldn't have it any other way." Oliver assured her and kissed her passionately on the lips.

When they pulled apart a few minutes later their lips red, puffy and bruised and their hair all ruffled Aphrodite whispered against Oliver's lips. "I love you too as much as you love me and more." She said before pecking him on the lips. "Ollie, I-I'm ready to complete the Soul Bond. Only if you still want to." Aphrodite said shyly.

Oliver looked Aphrodite in the eyes, his chocolate brown eyes shining with love that will never waver from the woman in front of him. "Of course I still want to. But I will wait till your ready there is no need to rush and only if you're sure." Oliver said firmly.

"I'm sure. There is no other man I would want to spend my life with no other person I would ever love. I love you Oliver." Aphrodite said. Oliver looked at his mate the woman he loved and wanted to make absolutely certain that this is what she wanted. "Are you absolutely sure." He asked.

Aphrodite nodded and kissed Oliver on the lips in a sweet but chaste kiss before pulling back, her eyes showing only the truth and full of love. Oliver smiled and stood up from the sofa and held out his hand for her to take before leading her out of the Living room and up to his room.

* * *

**~Warning sex scene coming up, nothing graphic but you can skip the last part of the chapter if you wish. ~**

As soon as they had entered Oliver's bedroom and the door had locked behind them, Oliver quickly took out his wand and silenced the room. No one was going to hear a sound coming from their room tonight. He ran his eyes slowly along Aphrodite's body before pushing her down onto the bed, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck. Oliver kissed Aphrodite teasingly at first, his tongue brushed slowly against her lips requesting entrance. Soon the kisses turned more heated, more passionate, their tongues wrestled and intertwined as both tried to win dominance. Oliver's hands quickly ducking under her shirt to caress all her curves.

Shortly Aphrodite submitted allowing Oliver to search her mouth. His tongue slowly slid over her teeth before starting down her slender neck stopping on her pulse, but as soon as Oliver placed his lips on her neck, the younger let out a moan. He quickly pulled off her shirt. Soon Aphrodite's hands were pulling off his own shirt, allowing her more access to his Quidditch toned muscles.

Oliver's mouth slid over her body, stopping here and there to lick and suck her flat stomach, and then her navel. He slid his hands down her unclothed sides, only pausing to remove her bra and pay a little closer attention to her breasts. His mouth finally came to a stop and started sucking at one nipple while reaching one hand up to tweak the other. While her nipples quickly hardened under his touch, he reached his other hand down to grab her ass.

Oliver quickly undressed both of them before turning all his attention to the beautiful women in front of him. Oliver slowly leaned over and started kissing every piece of her perfectly toned arms and then her legs. Oliver loved her legs; they were long, tan and perfectly toned from years of Quidditch. Like her arms they received his attention as he kissed and nipped at them. When he was satisfied with the attention he gave to both legs he kissed up her stomach once more. He looked down at his love with lust filled eyes, he loved her more than anything, and he would do anything for her. He bent down so he was positioned directly above her. Slowly reaching over he kissed he lightning scar before slowly tracing it with his tongue sending shivers down her spine.

Thinking about it he couldn't care less what she looked liked, but honestly he loved looking and touching her naked body. Her breasts were perfect along with her shapely figure; he couldn't get enough of her. Once Aphrodite whispered his name in a sexy plea he knew it was time to stop playing around and make love to her. They were both ready to complete their bond.

Aph flipped them over so that she was on top. She then straddled Oliver and she could feel the heat of his erection on her thigh as she began kissing him again. She left Oliver's mouth and slid pausing briefly once in a while to lick and kiss his nipples and his hard abs before she licked her way up his shaft to the head. Oliver gasped and his smile grew wider as he stared into her emerald green eyes. Aph then began to nibble and suck the head causing Oliver to buck into her mouth trying to increase the friction between them. Before he reached the edge, Aphrodite quickly climbed back up his body and latched on to his mouth. Oliver knew it was his turn. He rolled their bodies over positioning himself over his soul mate. He dragged his fingers over her warm, wet core and she groaned again. He swallowed her moan as he entered her with a finger, then a second and then a third. He teased her a little slowly pumping his fingers into her and she groaned in frustration.

"Go already!" She hissed and he groaned as she thrust her hips towards his hard shaft. He raised his fingers towards his mouth and licked them clean, all the while looking into Aphrodite's burning green eyes. She bucked her hips up towards his cock again in answer.

Oliver entered her in one quick motion. Aph gasped but relaxed again as he began to move slowly in and out of her. Oliver stopped moving to give her time to adjust. She looked down into Oliver's eyes and nodded he sunk his length completely into his own little paradise only moans and whimpers were heard in the room both of them groaning as the feeling of being complete filled them. He fisted a hand in her long hair and kissed her slowly, possessively. She dragged her long, slender fingers up over his back to tug at his hair. She dragged her nails over his back as he pounded into her, encouraging him with her quiet sighs, pants and moans. She then wrapped her legs around his waist forcing him deeper into her making them both groan.

Soon they began to move faster and faster and finally the both of them came. She screamed his name when she fell over the edge, milking his length for all she was worth. He reached his climax soon after her, grunting her name. He collapsed next to her, completely drained of energy, and he barely had enough energy to remember to pull up the sheets to cover them. Aphrodite sighed contently and cuddled closer to Oliver. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and together they drifted off into a dreamless sleep, content and happy in each other's arms. As they were drifting off into a dreamless sleep they missed the flash of bright gold light signalling that the Soul bond had been completed.


	21. Chapter 21

Just to let everybody know the second book to the 'Chronicles of Aphrodite Potter' is now up and it is called 'Chronicles of Aphrodite Potter Book 2 Chamber of Secrets.' And there are some new characters in this story but you'll have to read to find out who they are.

Thank you to everyone who has read my story. I hope you have enjoyed my story.

Padfootette :D X


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